Just One Night
by Angel of Halo
Summary: What would happen in Just one night? And after the fact too! Would fate step in, or would they have to fix the world themselves? HotaruYaten, SerenaSeiya
1. Home Alone

Three years after stars, the Starlights come back for a visit and get stuck touring again. Now doing a concert in Tokyo where they finally get to see the senshi again. Seiya and Taiki are happy as can be, but Yaten doesn't really like earth or it's people, period. Now what will happen when a certain senshi changes his life forever?  
  
  
  
"Why did Ruka-papa and Michi-mama have to go to American?" Hotaru Tenoh sighed. She was tired of being lonely. "And of course Suna-san had to go back to the Time Gates. I'm soooooo bored." She whined to her kittens.  
  
Rings and Star were tiny black kittens with silver stars on their foreheads. She got them from the pound to take care of her loneliness. Though they were wonderful, they were still not a total make up for missing human contact with her family.  
  
It was around ten pm. on Saturday, and everyone was busy, she was bored, most places where closed, she was bored, her family was gone, and did she mention; she was bored.  
  
Deciding that sleep was a good idea, Hotaru headed up the stairs, Star and Rings on her heels. "You two will follow me anywhere huh?" He murmured looking down. "I'm glad I have someone who'll do that."  
  
Her eyes saddened as a wave of loneliness hit her. Not the type that she felt from her family being away, but the type you get when you think about your heart and how much you want love from another to fill it..........  
  
Sighing, Hotaru stripped into her pj's and threw her clothing on the floor. She didn't feel like being neat and tidy at that moment. Laying herself into the big bed, she pulled the covers tight around her and let her eyes fall close.  
  
An hour later, after she'd fallen into a nice sleep, a crash of thunder and a flash of lightning foretold of the storm that was brewing and was about to get worse. Hotaru's eyes shot open and let out a scream. "I hate thunder."  
  
The power wavered and then flickered out. A whimper escaped her lips. Rings and Star curled up against her and mewed. "Thanks." She said to the tiny cats. After ten minutes she fell back asleep, convinced she could handle such a small storm. Yet, as she slept, the storm raged and grew until it was so huge it overcast the whole city of Tokyo.  
  
It was midnight when she woken again, a crash of thunder had hit near by the house and scared Hotaru half out of her wits. "Oh my god." She murmured, her heart racing.  
  
"Help!" she screeched as another crash shook the house. "Oh. I hate storms." Her radio zapped on. A song blared from the speakers. Search for Your Love played from the thing. Hotaru shot up and stared at the radio. "The powers out yet the radio's on. That's bizarre and either it's a sign or I'm going crazy."  
  
Getting up, Hotaru pulled the two kittens into her arms and headed down the stairs. Bracing herself, Hotaru ran right out the front door. Rain met her skin, the storm played across the sky.  
  
"I can do this." She whispered and sprinted towards a huge mansion on a hill around a mile from her home. It was a long ways, but she had to make it! Hotaru dogged from space to space, looking for shelter and praying to the gods above.  
  
By some miracle Hotaru made it to the Three Light's place and instead of knocking she ran right in. And right into Yaten.  
  
She and Yaten tumbled to the floor. The kittens scrambled and hurried down the hall, deeper into the house. A small smile edged its way to Hotaru's lips. "Um. Hi." 


	2. Storms are not fun

"Hotaru?" Yaten asked looking down at the fragile girl now in his lap.  
  
"Hi." Hotaru said.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"I was… scared." She whispered in a small voice.  
  
"Of what?" Yaten asked surprised. He didn't know why the senshi of destruction would be scared of anything.  
  
"Um… The storm."  
  
"The storm?" He raised a brow.  
  
"Yes." She blushed slightly.  
  
"Why are you here?"  
  
"I thought that maybe you would let me stay here until it ends."  
  
Yaten sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Alright. You can sleep on the fold out couch. My brothers aren't home, so don't worry about them coming in, because they'll be gone until tomorrow night."  
  
"Thank you Yaten."  
  
"Ya, come on I'll show you were it is."  
  
Hotaru followed Yaten away from the door and into the living room. Spreading out the couch he excused himself to get sheets. When he returned, he had with two sheets and a blanket.  
  
"I'll see you in the morning." Hotaru whispered.  
  
"Night." Yaten said.  
  
He walked away, leaving Hotaru watching him. Lying down she sighed. A crack of thunder made her jump back up again, though.  
  
"YATEN!!!!!!!!!!!" She yelled making Yaten fly into the room looking wide eyed around.  
  
"What? What?"  
  
"I'm scared."  
  
Yaten blinked. "The storm." He mumbled to himself. Looking her over as she sat huddled in a tight ball; he slowly made his way over to the bed. Climbing in, he gave her a smile. "I don't understand. You're the senshi of destruction, death, and darkness. So why be afraid of anything?"  
  
"I just am." Hotaru said in a hurt voice. But still she snuggled tight against him. "Aren't you scared of anything?"  
  
"Something."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Go to bed."  
  
"I want to know."  
  
"We can talk in the morning."  
  
"Promise."  
  
"Fine."  
  
Cuddling into his arms, she sighed wistfully. "Night."  
  
"Night."  
  
  
  
*******************************************************  
  
(The next morning)  
  
Hotaru woke up to the warmth of being held in some ones arms. She looked up at Yaten's peaceful face. A serene smile touched her lips. But the sound of thunder wiped it right back off.  
  
Throwing herself closer, she started to shiver with fright. The storm wasn't over, and it sounded closer then before. "Um... Hotaru?" Yaten mumbled. He looked at her sleepily, a lazy contentment filling his eyes. "What's going on?"  
  
"Storm." She whispered, digging her hands into his hair.  
  
"Still?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
Pulling himself out of bed and half dragging, half carrying Hotaru with him, he went to the TV and flipped it on. Hotaru of course, still clinging to him.  
  
"You can be quite the nuisance."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Hush. Listen." He pointed at the screen.  
  
'The tropical storm Andromata' (An: Okay, yes I'm talking bout something like a hurricane. And I really don't think they have them in Japan, but oh well, right?) 'Has been said to be one of the worst ever. It will continue to rage until late this week.' (It's Saturday, so saying it'll probably end like Thursday.)  
  
'People are ordered to stay inside unless the want to end up dead. I strongly suggest you break out the candles and flashlights, because the power is said to go out today. This is Tom Gugong reporting. Thank you and good day.'  
  
Hotaru yanked Yaten back to the bed with her. "You mean I'm stuck here! With you for five days! Alone! No power! Nothing to do!" She let out an ear- piercing scream.  
  
Yaten shuttered. "Breath Hotaru, breath. This can't be that bad can it? Wait, the others won't be coming home. And we'll have nothing to do. And we can't even cook. Dear lord help us!"  
  
Hotaru, who was now sobbing, buried her head into Yaten's chest. Yaten slowly started to rock her back and forth. "Everything will work out. I think." 


	3. Right now?

Angel: Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh.. K. I didn't realize I'd made poor Taru to be such a wimp in this. Oops. So ya, well. It's ooc. K? And that goes for Ten-chan too. Ten-chan is my new nickname for Yaten. I started calling him that in chapter. 27 or 28 of Ten no Hoshi. So ay.. Ja ne and enjoy.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Hotaru had fallen asleep with tears in her eyes, 'I thought she was stronger then this. I mean, in battle she doesn't hide or run or make others do the work for her. She looks like a child now. All scared and in need of a protector. I sort of like seeing her like this, it makes me see her as more human.'  
  
Hotaru mumbled something and her eyes opened slowly. "How much of a baby am I?" She asked.  
  
"Not too much. Though I'll admit you're not yourself." Yaten said.  
  
"I know. It's just. I have bad memories of storms. On Saturn and on Earth."  
  
"If you want to talk about them, I'll listen."  
  
Hotaru studied him a moment, "I'm not the only one acting weird. You're not your mean stuck up self either."  
  
"Thanks." He grumbled back. "I'm not pissed all the time. I'm off duty right now. So tell me why you're so scared."  
  
"The ones on Saturn are much worse then this, though I still don't like the ones here. Growing up I had this cousin that like to pick on me and play tricks on me. I hated her so much. One day she went so far as to lock me out of the palace. But that's another story. A storm was coming one night and they advised us to stay inside so my mother called us together, she informed us we were not to go anywhere near the doors.  
  
Well my cousin, Abby, decided she wanted to get back at me for telling her mother on her earlier that day. She's cut all of my doll's hair off and she was my favorite. Abby told me she'd left her new kitten out on the balcony of the top floor and asked if I could help her get it. Well, being me, I believed her and went to find her pet.  
  
When we got up there, she locked me out in the rain. I sat there the whole storm crying and calling for help, my mom, and for the gods to stop the storm. My mother finally came two days later. Abby had told her I'd been in my room for the longest time and finally she'd gotten suspicious. But it was so traumatic."  
  
Hotaru sighed and looked up at Yaten, "And then there was the storm here, I was possessed by Mistress Nine at the time. I'd just gotten one of my attacks where I couldn't breath well and my body hurt so badly. It was just after school and I was in the park. I could get up, and as the storm came, all I could do was sit and pray not to die.  
  
I remember the lightning and thunder. I was so close to this telephone pole. And when it was struck and then it caught on fire, I thought I would die. But the police and fire department came. It was still hard, for those few minutes of staring in horror of how you thought you were going to die. Waiting."  
  
Hotaru shuttered and Yaten pulled her close. "Don't worry. Both of those times are in the past. You're safe here and I won't let the storm get you." Hotaru smiled and nodded. She snuggled against him and closed her eyes.  
  
"Thanks Ten-chan." She murmured with a yawn. "Living the past is a tiring experience. Night night." Yaten didn't mention it was the morning as she fell into a lazy sleep against him. He liked holding her. 'I am acting stranger then usual, probably because I was looking at my life and seeing I wasn't going anywhere with what I'm doing now. I've got no family, no wife to great me when I get home, no children to tug at my hand to come play with them, I have nothing to live for at the moment.'  
  
  
  
**************************************************************************** ******************  
  
True to its word, the power went out around noon. Hotaru was still sleeping peacefully, though Yaten had moved her to his bed, while he had gotten up and found flashlights, batteries, candles, and matches. Sure the house had a generator, but its power was precious for cooking and showers.  
  
He's also brought some books and games from the library so they'd have stuff to do if they got bored.  
  
It hit him while he was taking a pot of soup from the stove; his brothers weren't coming home anytime soon. He was stuck in a house with a fragile and beautiful woman for who knows how long. 'How am I going to survive?' He thought to himself.  
  
"Thought I smelt something good." Hotaru stood in the doorway watching him. "What were you thinking about?" She murmured watching him as he ladled soup into two bowls.  
  
"Nothing important."  
  
"Yes it was. You didn't hear me come in and yet I stomped so I'd think the whole of Japan heard me." He chuckled at her analogy.  
  
"I was thinking about how we were going to survive being stuck together for five or more days."  
  
"Am I that bad?" Hotaru raised a brow.  
  
"No. I mean. Um. how do I explain it? I'm well a. and you're a well."  
  
Hotaru blinked then let a laugh escape her lips, "Yaten, if you mean sexually, I think we'll be okay." She grinned when he growled at her easiness with talking about it. "If we come to needing to have sex then we'll have to now won't we?" She shrugged and turned to go back into the living room.  
  
"No." Yaten's cool hard tone stopped her. "We won't need to have it. It's if we want to have it. There's a big difference."  
  
Hotaru watched him carefully, "If it's about wanting Yaten, then you won't have any problem from me. I've wanted you for a long time. Though I doubt you feel the same." Her cool tone amazed him; she could be fire or ice if she wanted, or both.  
  
She swung around and hurried out of the kitchen. Yaten watched her, "Hotaru."  
  
"What?" She called.  
  
"You're wrong about me you know." He opened the door and looked at her from there. "I like you. And I want you. You're very attractive and it's damn hard not to notice just how much you are with lying next to me last night." He raised a brow and turned back into the kitchen.  
  
Hotaru stared at the door, and slowly assessed what he said. "He wants. me?" Hotaru flung herself up from the couch she'd plopped herself onto and ran into the kitchen again. Her mind far from the storm.  
  
"Yaten?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Make love to me." He stiffened and turned to her. "Now." She approached him. "Right now." 


	4. Now What?

Yaten stared at Hotaru for a long moment, "Hotaru, even you said you weren't acting yourself this morning, and you're doing it again. You shrug of sex like it's nothing. You tell me you want me and walk away. You say you want me to make love to you now. What's wrong with you?"  
  
Her eyes narrowed, "Nothing." Her breath escaped in a sigh.  
  
"I think there is."  
  
"If you don't want to have sex, then all you have to do is say no." Hotaru said.  
  
"I don't."  
  
"Fine." Hotaru turned and walked out of the room. (An: Again?) Before the door closed, even in the dark, Yaten caught a glimpse of hurt and rejection in her eyes.  
  
Yaten swore under his breath and turned back to the stove, "I think we both need a breather."  
  
Hotaru walked towards Yaten's room where she proceeded to berry herself in the covers. "What's wrong with me?" She murmured into the darkness. "I'm not myself. Lately it seems that I just want someone to hold me. I see the inners strutting around with their latest boyfriends. Then there's Ruka and Michi who are all lovey-dovey all the time. It's just hard, to know that I'll never have someone like that."  
  
Hotaru let the tears come again; she'd been crying a lot lately. "Will I ever find someone to love, someone who will love me back?" But it didn't matte, she didn't matter............. That thought was the one she fell asleep with.  
  
Yaten decided he'd waited long enough and walked into his room. There he found Hotaru, sleeping soundly, but with tears running down her cheeks.  
  
"Taru?" Yaten muttered, he sat down on the edge of the bed and smoothed a strand of ebony hair from her forehead. "What turned the child into a woman with such pain? You don't show it often, but I saw it. A few minutes ago, I saw it.." His hand stroked her cheek as he murmured soft words. "Inside you're a woman, but everyone sees you as a child. Is that it? That no one gives you a second glance?"  
  
Hotaru sighed in her sleep, and the tears slowly died down until they were just stains on her cheeks. "I hate being alone." The whispered words met Yaten's ears. "Why do I have to be alone?"  
  
"You don't have to be."  
  
"Why are you being so kind to me? Why do you look at me like you'd do anything for me?" Her eyes opened and she looked up at him with such sadness that he flinched.  
  
".I don't know."  
  
"Yaten, something's the matter with us. It scares me. I don't ever let my emotions overwhelm me like this. It's just. Being with you is so different."  
  
"Hotaru." Yaten watched her; he felt something inside him break. "Don't look at me like that! I don't want to make you sad."  
  
"Why did I really come here tonight?"  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"Why did I chose to come here above all other places?"  
  
"I don't know." Yaten said. He'd long since lay down next to her, his head propped up on one hand. "Why did you?"  
  
"I don't know. Really and truly, the other scouts would have welcomed me, but I felt a pull, a forced inside me, leading me here. I had to come......"  
  
"To me?" His green eyes sparkled with emotion.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I think we've both lost our minds." His head lowered to hers, "And in the future we'll regret this."  
  
"No. Never." Hotaru wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'll cherish it." The met, his lips and hers coming together in a dance as old as time.  
  
Together they moved to the center of the bed, Yaten sliding over her. "We should stop."  
  
"We should."  
  
"But we can't."  
  
"No."  
  
He moved off of her for a moment and peeled his shirt over his head, though his eyes never left hers.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"More then anything."  
  
  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Darkness.......  
  
Yet sweet bliss..........  
  
Where?  
  
When?  
  
Who?  
  
What?  
  
Am I dead?  
  
Or dreaming?  
  
No.  
  
I'm alive.  
  
I'm awake.  
  
I'm just here............  
  
But where is here?  
  
Hotaru's eyes fluttered open and she glanced around her, trying to figure out why and where she was. Warmth filled her body, though the air was cold. Her violet eyes slide down until the rested on the silver haired god beside her.  
  
How could she have forgotten? Hotaru blushed, though she felt no shame. Just utter happiness. And love...........  
  
Had she really fallen in love with him so fast? Or was it that she'd loved him forever? Either way, he was there, with her. And that made Hotaru's heart soar.  
  
She let her body loosen and relax as she watched him, his breathing deep and even, his eyes closed softly, his chest rising and falling, his lips parted, his hair messed up yet beautiful in it's dashing array. He was wonderful.  
  
Koi... did she have a right to call him that? When he woke up, would he just pick on her like he did most of the scouts, or would there be a difference. What would happen now? One thing was for sure; she had no regrets.  
  
Hotaru let her eyes close again, and she fell back to sleep.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Sweet smells filled her senses as Hotaru awoke later. Another thing she noticed right off; she was alone. Stretching she lifted herself from the bed and stood. Out of the corner of her eye, Hotaru caught a glimpse of her reflection. Something was different......  
  
The look in her eyes? The way she smiled? Her heat touched cheeks? The way she felt? Who knew, she was just different.  
  
Following her nose, Hotaru walked towards the kitchen. Yaten once again stood at the stove. "Good morning." He murmured without looking up.  
  
"It's morning?"  
  
"Yes." Yaten glanced up finally and raised a brow. "Nice attire."  
  
Hotaru looked down at what she was wearing; nothing. Her cheeks flushed red and she searched for something to cover up with. 'Stupid me, I was just looking at my reflection.' She scolded herself.  
  
"It's a bit late to be embarrassed." Yaten chuckled while he set two dishes on the table. "Hungry?"  
  
"Hai." Hotaru sighed and sat down on one of the chairs.  
  
They ate in silence and after five minutes, Hotaru couldn't stand it anymore. "Yaten, what's going to happen with us?"  
  
His eyes met hers, "I don't know."  
  
"We need to decide that before the storm lets up."  
  
"I know." His eyes drifted to the window. Outside the storm was still going strong, yet he never wanted it to end. For after it was done, he knew he'd have to let Hotaru go. 'I can't keep on with her, there's no way I could survive forever on earth, and she'd never come back to Kimonos with me........' 


	5. So this is how it ends?

Thursday came to soon for Yaten, and for Hotaru, not soon enough. They both had different reasons for their opinions. Since their conversation at breakfast on Tuesday, neither had mentioned what they would do after the storm.  
  
So it wasn't strange that when Hotaru woke that morning, she had no idea what to do. The storm had ended that night, just as predicted, and now that it was over, what was she going to do?  
  
Looking around their room...... Yaten's room, she found that he was nowhere in sight. Yawning, she hurried out of bed and got dressed. "Yaten?" She called, peaking out of the room.  
  
No response.  
  
"Yaten?" She called into the kitchen.  
  
He wasn't there.  
  
"Yaten?" Hotaru asked into the living room.  
  
Not there either. He wasn't anywhere to be found. "Yaten?" Hotaru murmured and let herself fall into a pile of tears on the floor. "So this is how it'll be? We'll forget the whole thing happened?" The question hung in the air; no one was answered it.  
  
Finally, Hotaru dried her eyes, and steeled herself against the pain she felt ripping at her heart. Getting up, she walked into the bedroom and picked up Rings and Star who'd become accustomed to sleeping on the comfy blanket on the floor. Both gladly jumped into her arms as she lifted them up.  
  
Next she went and pulled her own shirt and pants out of Yaten's dresser draw. She had been wearing his boxers and t-shirt for the past week, and had become quite fond of the clothes. "Oh well. I should have known not to fall in love with someone like Koi....." Her voice trailed off as another wave of pain hit her heart.  
  
"I have to leave now!" She felt weak, and didn't know why. So with all of her strength, Hotaru hurried to the kitchen, scribbled a note, and left.  
  
******************************************************************  
  
Yaten watched from the shadows of a corner. He knew she'd understand. It had to be this way.... For her sake. Yet the pain he'd seen in her eyes, it had been worse then anything he'd seen before. And what's worse, he felt it as well.  
  
Like Hotaru, he steeled himself against it. Telling himself it had to be this way. She could never love him. and even if she could, he couldn't give her the kind of life and love she needed.  
  
And Hotaru was strong, Yaten reminded himself. She was a woman; he'd seen and felt that for himself. But. she'd looked like a hurt child when he'd seen her run from the door, from him. What was he to do now?  
  
****************************************************************  
  
Hotaru ran all the way home; tears yearned to fall; yet she couldn't let him. It would only prove how much she'd come to love him and how weak she was.  
  
Dignity had long since been forgotten and the odd looks she got from passer biers went unnoticed. Forgotten was the clothing, the way she looked, the way she ran, the way she did everything. The thing that dominated her mind was what she had to do.  
  
She couldn't be weak anymore! She had to be strong now! She had to prove to the world she could do things on her own and that she didn't need anyone.  
  
Hurrying into her room, Hotaru grabbed two suitcases and a duffle bag from the closet and precede to the throw everything into them. All of her clothes, stuffed animals, and every other thing she had. This included some snacks, credit cards, her dagger, and personal items from the outers that she'd gotten as presents.  
  
"Sorry Papa, Mama, Suna. I can't depend on anyone anymore. I need to do this on my own now. You'll understand, I know." Finally done, everything of hers packed, she ran to the kitchen and wrote a page for each Outer. "I'll miss you all."  
  
Rings and Star purred from her shoulders, "But I've got friends with me, so I'll be okay."  
  
"And you've got me!" Hotaru whipped around and stared at the person standing at the door. 


	6. Hikari and Yami

Angel: this fic is about to take a twist. I had another story line that I wanted to write and somehow it got mixed into this, so I'm combining the two.  
  
  
  
"Serena?"  
  
"Hey Taru." Serena smiled, "Setsuna asked me to stop bye and talk to you. She didn't tell me about what, but from the gist of that speech, I'd say I can figure it out."  
  
"Hai." Hotaru sighed, "So......"  
  
"So, wherever you're going, so am I!"  
  
"Nani? Serena what about the inners and Darien and..."  
  
"The inners can live without me, Darien and I broke up, and the world will not end if I go with you." Serena smiled. "Don't worry Taru-chan."  
  
"You broke up with?"  
  
"It was mutual. We know the future is supposed to be like perfect, but Darien and I want different things in life. So, let's go explore Taru! I have never left Japan, well I have but it was to other planets and such, but ya! Let's go somewhere Taru, we can start over, start new lives."  
  
Hotaru smiled, "Just the two of us?"  
  
"Hai!"  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Why wouldn't I be?"  
  
"I don't know. But if you're sure, then I'm all for it!"  
  
"Great!"  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
  
  
Hotaru and Serena stared at their reflections in the mirror. Hotaru lifted scissors up and cut Serena's hair until hung only to her waist, the same as Hotaru's.  
  
The two girls stared at themselves; they were the same height, same stature, same look for a new start in their eyes; they were almost the same, but for one thing. They weren't linked totally.  
  
"Ready?" Serena asked.  
  
"Hai." Hotaru whispered. They both held up their hands and joined them together.  
  
"Power of the first order of the dark and light moon. Bring us together. Make us more then what we are. Let us hear, what the other does. Let us know what we each want. Give us the strength to fight together. For we are sister, now and forever."  
  
A silver light filled the room and took the girls into its power.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Yami and Hikari Shido looked up at the imposing collage that they'd been attending for two years now. The twin girls had transferred from a Japanese school to VTEC Collage in New York City. They loved the school and their friends; Meg, Kate and Angy.  
  
Hikari and Yami looked almost exactly alike. Both had silver hair that reached their knees. Hikari wore hers in a low ponytail; Yami wore hers in a high one. They both had soft creamy skin, long legs, and lithe stature. They were the same height, had the same graceful way of moving, and the same thought sometimes. People thought it weird that they could almost use esp. to talk, but most blamed it on the "twin thing".  
  
Yes they were the same, except in their eyes. Hikari's were a beautiful sky blue, while Yami's were twilight purple. Oh and the motherly look in Yami's eyes helped as well.  
  
The look was there because she had one and three-month year old daughter. "Ari" (An: pronounced r-e) The child had green gorgeous green eyes and silver hair, the color of a star.  
  
By now everyone, whether it be teacher or student, loved the small girl. She became known as the school's mascot.  
  
After school, Yami and Hikari went home and then headed to their jobs. They both worked at a jewelry store called "All that Glitters". It was a classy place that only rich and famous people came to.  
  
The twins fit in perfectly in their world. Things were peaceful and quite ordinary and regular. That is until Yami spotted someone she hadn't thought she'd ever see again......  
  
Her violet eyes rested on Yaten Kou, the person that broke her heart. 


	7. They're back

Yami gasped as another person walked in behind him and his "brothers". A woman; one she'd never seen before, and one that was clinging to Yaten.  
  
The group walked up to her counter and started to examine the items inside. "Excuse me?" the woman asked, "My fiancé and I are looking for the perfect necklace for myself." Her red eyes danced, "It's our first year anniversary since we started dating." She set her left hand to the counter, displaying her engagement ring.  
  
A sudden feeling of jealousy hit Yami. She'd thought she'd gotten rid of these problems long ago, yet...... Her he was, with some other woman! Beside jealousy, pain flooded Yami's heart and she felt like running away.  
  
Hikari picked up on her emotions and hurried over to help her sister. "Hi, my sister is just on her lunch break. Can I help you?"  
  
"Sure." The woman muttered and turned her attention to Hikari.  
  
Yami let the breath that she'd been holding go. A cry from across the room brought her to her senses and her mother instincts kicked in.  
  
From the corner of his eyes, Seiya had caught the whole display. There was something wrong about it. The sisters seemed to be familiar yet different, and it didn't seem right that one had dashed away in search of the crying baby. It just didn't fit with the way she'd stared at them when they'd come in.  
  
Shaking the feeling off, Seiya turned back to Taiki and the picked up on a conversation about how boring shopping for Reece was.  
  
Yaten on the other hand was watching the tiny baby he'd seen behind the counter. First it had smiled happily, and then it had burst out crying. The kid reminded him of someone...... But she was best forgotten.  
  
He'd spotted the child because he'd thought she was from his home. But she wasn't. He could feel a semi-aura of his home around her, yet somewhere else as well. Oh well he thought as he saw the child's mother rush over and pick her up.  
  
He turned and headed away, though he felt a strong pull not too.  
  
Reece had sent Hikari away to go get something from the back, so now she focused her attention the other girl. Yami stood, holding Ari in her arms, calming the small girl down. "So, how old is the brat?" Reece asked.  
  
Yami spun around; her violet eyes afire, "She is not a brat."  
  
"Weren't you ever taught that the customer is always right?"  
  
"Sorry, no."  
  
"Why you!" Reece was about to jump over the counter, but Yaten grabbed her arm.  
  
"Leave the woman alone, Reece. You had no right to call her child a brat."  
  
"But I....." Reece's eyes filled with fake tears and she pouted at Yaten. "I didn't mean too." She sent a glare at Yami quickly and then linked her arm with Yaten's. "Let's leave this shop. I don't like it."  
  
Yaten nodded and led Reece out of the shop. Taiki soon followed, but Seiya stayed behind. Hikari had come out of the back by now and stood next to Yami. Both glared at the door.  
  
Seiya approached the woman with a sorry look on his face, "Please forgive the woman, though I wouldn't if I were you. She tends to do that with everyone. I'm sorry for her though, and for my brother, who didn't apologize."  
  
Hikari sighed and turned her eyes away, "Apology accepted for me."  
  
"No." Yami muttered, "I don't mind if she insulted me, but my Ari is the most wonderful and precious thing in this world. I will not tolerate anyone insulting her."  
  
Seiya sighed and ran a hand though his hair, "I don't know what to say, but sorry. His eyes met Yami's and he took a step back. "Now I'm getting scared." He muttered under his breath, but Hikari heard him.  
  
"Why?"  
  
Seiya gave her a surprised look, "You two seem so familiar to me. I'd swear that I'd met you before."  
  
"No." Hikari murmured. "You haven't." Yami placed a hand on her sister's shoulder.  
  
"If you'll excuse us sir, I think we ought to close up." Seiya nodded and left the store.  
  
Hikari and Yami both felt tears rush to their eyes, but they never fell. "I think we've cried so much in our lives that the tears will never come again." Hikari had once said. It so much applied at that moment. Yami and Hikari eloped each other in a hug and clung to one another.  
  
"Why did they have to come here? Everything was so perfect until now...." Yami closed her eyes tight. "Why now?"  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
"Why in the world did the princess have to betroth you to Reece?" Seiya asked. "Why did she even have to betroth you at all is a better question. You wanna know why?" His eyes met Yaten's and he growled the last part out, "Because you let the woman you loved leave you! And it because we come from our galaxy and not this one, we have to marry before we turn 21."  
  
"So?" Yaten asked.  
  
He and Seiya sat in one of the hotel rooms they'd rented for the month. The Three Lights were going to be performing there so they thought it might be nice for a vacation as well.  
  
Seiya had asked Yaten if they could talk in private and had started drilling him about Reece's actions again and how it was Yaten's fault for letting Hotaru walk out the door he'd opened wide for her.  
  
"You said you loved her!"  
  
"I did! Do!" Yaten protested, "But I was stupid then. I didn't think she could ever love me! And I let her go! Okay! Gods Seiya, you're not involved in any of this so why yell at me?"  
  
"Because Reece affects me too!"  
  
"Do you want me to go apologize to those woman?"  
  
"That might be nice."  
  
"Fine. I will!" Yaten stood and stamped out of the room. Seiya sneered at his retreating form.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
"Excuse me?" A voice asked.  
  
Yami turned and found Yaten behind her. She'd been on her way home with Ari. They had just left the store, and Hikari had had to go to the store quickly.  
  
So now here she was, going to have to confront Yaten alone. 


	8. Just babling with one another

Angel: Heya minna-san!  
  
Sage: Hi.  
  
Duo: Yo!  
  
Yaten: Whatever...  
  
Angel: Well, I'm back again with another update! Sorry it took so long.  
  
First though, I'd like to tell ya something's: firstly I'm sorry that. I don't know your name cause you didn't list one, but usually I usually tell at the beginning of my fics w/ Taru and Ten-chan that Taru's grown to the same age as the inners and laddy da da. So you'll have to excuse the mistake. But ya, so she's about two years younger then Yaten, I suppose. Sorry again for the mistake.  
  
Also, can anyone tell me if I made Taru too sluty in the beginning? I really didn't think.. Okay a bit I did. But you have to remember that I'm not the creator of the anime and I can't get every person on character 'specially since I haven't even seen Stars yet. And ya, if she is too sluty I'm sorry but I don't have time to go back and edit it yet.  
  
Did 'hikari' and 'yumi' dye their hair silver, well it's either that or the Silver Crystal turned their hair silver. Though later, when I have the girls transform their hair will turn to blonde and black then back to silver when they detransform. I suppose it's like glamour, which is a fae thing were the person uses magic to disguise their appearance.  
  
I'm also sorry for the confusion in the names, I seem to do that a lot in my fics ne? lol.. Yami is Hotaru cause yami means dark. And Hikari is Ser cause it means light. Reece is some made up character and Ari is Taru's daughter. So ya!  
  
And one more note: I'm not sure if it's gonna be Seiya and Serena or not. It could be or it could be her and Darien.. Or I might put a twist in there for ya! So ya... enjoy!  
  
  
  
  
  
**************************************************************************** *****  
  
  
  
Seiya had left a few moments after Yaten had. He headed strait towards the collage he and his "brothers" were being enrolled. They'd start school the day after next and he wanted a tour, well actually he wanted to let off steam.  
  
The moment Yaten had left, Reece had ordered Seiya and Taiki out of house so she could take a bath. Gods the woman could have just locked the door, but instead she had to throw the boys out of the whole house!  
  
Now, Seiya stood on the rough of the collage and looked out at the city below and above him.  
  
"She's so fricken infuriating that I want to scream." Seiya growled while he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "I just wish the Princess had chosen someone nicer." He sighed, "Thank god for giving Taiki and I extra time to find woman to marry." (An: Thank you for that point reviewer! I totally didn't think of the other Light's marriage problem earlier!)  
  
"Do you always talk to yourself?" Hikari asked.  
  
Seiya turned slightly and smiled, "No, actually. You go here?"  
  
"Ya." Hikari sighed and smiled back. She'd come to get a book she'd forgotten from her locker earlier and had seen Seiya on the rough from a window on the fourth floor.  
  
"I don't remember if I introduced myself earlier. I'm Seiya Kou."  
  
"Hikari Shido." (An: OMG does that sound like Hikaru Shido from Rayearth or what?)  
  
"What are you doing here so late Miss Shido?"  
  
"Same thing you are I suppose, thinking."  
  
Seiya just sighed and let his eyes drift back to the city, he still couldn't shake the feeling he knew Hikari and Yami from somewhere. Hikari reminded him of... No she was best forgotten just like Hotaru was for Yaten. But gods he missed the blonde scout of love and justice. Did he ever.  
  
"What troubles you Seiya?" Hikari asked.  
  
Seiya closed his eyes and tried to pretend that the girl behind him was Serena. For just and instant maybe he could hear her voice in Hikari's. "I miss a friend.."  
  
"Oh. So what's up with you're brother's fiancé?"  
  
"Reece? Not much but her ego. She thinks she's above every one in life and strives to be in control. I don't like her, neither do either of my bothers."  
  
"Yaten doesn't like her?"  
  
Seiya laughed at that, "No, my god, no. He's being forced to marry her."  
  
Hikari's eyes widened, that meant that... "Did he want to marry someone else?"  
  
"As a matter of fact.." Seiya stopped himself. Yaten would never forgive him if he started to spill his life story to a stranger. "I have to go. It was nice talking to you Miss Shido. Have a nice day."  
  
Seiya walked into the stairwell and down the stairs leaving Hikari by herself, "Yaten might still like Hotaru?" She whispered, "Then maybe I can make them fall in love again."  
  
  
  
**************************************************************************** ****  
  
Yami felt her breathing become labored, "I. um..."  
  
"Sorry for the intrusion, but I just came too. well. I don't know. Apologize I guess. Don't think I'm doing it out of kindness, but Reece can be. well... Ya. bye." Yaten started to turn but stopped himself when he caught sight of tears in the girl's eyes.  
  
"Thank you." She murmured and started to dash away. But Yaten was faster. He may have not been the kindest guy in the universe but he didn't like making people cry. He caught her arm and held Yami back.  
  
Her eyes widened and she felt pain rip through her heart. In her mind she was screaming 'Just go! Run away from him!' But her heart yelled at her to stay and hold onto him with all her might. She felt so torn that she thought she was going to cry.  
  
'I will not cry.' She thought desperately. 'It's long past time for tears.'  
  
"Did I say something wrong?" Yaten asked. "I didn't mean to make you cry."  
  
"I'm not crying." Yami muttered. "Not yet anywase."  
  
"Why do you want to cry?"  
  
"No reason." Yami said swiftly, to fast for it to be a true answer. In her arms Ari started to stir from the nap she'd been taking. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to get home."  
  
"What did I do?" Yaten asked softly, feeling he had done something terribly wrong to the woman in front of him.  
  
Yami's eyes narrowed, "To much to count." Using a bit of well trained maneuvering she wretched her arm free and made a dash down the road away from Yaten. 'Far far away.'  
  
Yaten watched the girl run away, "What's wrong with me now? The last time I acted soft was with..." He turned swiftly and started back to his home. No not home. a house.  
  
**************************************************************************** *  
  
"You talked to Yaten, alone?" Hikari asked.  
  
"Hai."  
  
"What did he want?"  
  
"To apologize for his fiancé." Yami laughed bitterly. "Do you realize the irony of this situation? The father of my daughter is apologizing to his ex- whore for his fiancé."  
  
"Hey now, you are not a whore!"  
  
"Ex-whore." Yami corrected.  
  
"Baka!"  
  
"For following in love with Yaten, yes."  
  
"No. For being an idiot, period!"  
  
Hikari sighed, "Listen, Yaten's not willingly marring Reece."  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"You heard me. He has to, for some unknown reason. I talked to Seiya and asked him if Yaten had wanted to marry someone else, he was about to say yes but he stopped, like he wasn't supposed to speak of it. Taru, it's probably you."  
  
"Don't get my hopes up." Yami murmured, "I don't need my heart broken again."  
  
"I know... but.."  
  
"No buts Hikari! Serena, I can't take this anymore."  
  
"Hotaru. We're starting to call each other by our real names."  
  
"Oh well." Hotaru muttered and stood up from the couch she'd plopped onto the moment after she'd put Ari to bed. "Right now, I'm taking a long bath then going for a stroll through the damned park!"  
  
"It's eight p.m. and we're in New York City."  
  
"I can get mugged for all I care." Hotaru growled as she left the room. 


	9. Remember Me

Angel: I don't own sm. Or the song! It's from Initial D, but it just seemed to fit so much that I had to use it. I hope you enjoy this. But one thing before I let you continue.  
  
THANK YOU SENASHENTA!!!!!! I was nearly in tear when I read your reviews. Those flames had me feeling bad and then yours, it made me feel like I wasn't that a writer and that people still read my fics for pleasure. This chap. is dedicated to you!  
  
And thank you to every other reviewer. You guys keep me alive here! I hope you like this chapter.  
  
Hi Kris!!!!!!!!!  
  
Oh, Agent Chousoku; I know the characters are OOC. But my story isn't since it is my plot line so how can it be out of character when I'm writing it? Sorry you don't like it. But the romance is quite believable. I think Senashenta put it like this: "Since when is ANYTHING about Sailor Moon believable? Hm? Magical girls in sailor suits running around fighting monsters with the aid of a guy in a tuxedo and two talking cats?"  
  
And to mention something else again; I haven't seen Stars, just heard about it. So sorry if I don't get everything right, I'm trying!  
  
So ya.. Thanks for baring with me! Now on with the fic!  
  
Sage: Finally.  
  
  
  
  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Yaten was bored. He felt stupid for letting a bit of sympathy get in his way of judgment and make him be soft to the girl. He felt sorry for her that was all.  
  
So why was it when he had been taking a stroll in the park and found her standing there, gazing up into the sky he felt breathless.  
  
Hotaru turned and looked towards him. She felt a pang of dull ache and as he approached her. her mind cried out to her to leave.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
I feel you so close to me I hope you still think of me Even I know you found another love  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Hotaru stared up into Yaten's green eyes and felt her heart break. He didn't know her. He didn't remember her. Not the care and love they'd shared for those few days. Not the smiles or the sweet comfort they'd found in one another arms.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
You took away my chance To be with you forever To be your love and stay together You gave away the precious love that we had to somebody else Oh baby I wanna tell you  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
She felt like screaming out and telling him that she was there. That he had no right to look at her with indifference. It just was to painful. And her..  
  
He'd given their love to Reece and given up all thoughts of her.  
  
Hotaru wished she could do the same. But her heart wouldn't let her break away from the memories of Yaten.  
  
  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Remember me Remember everything we used to be Can you feel my heart pounding, pounding? Will be forever  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Why couldn't she have another chance? She just had to prove that she loved him. Right? Isn't that how it worked? How Ruka and Michi were. They loved each other and beat all odds to be together.  
  
Why couldn't she have that?  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Will you, Remember you, remember me I remember everything we used to be 'Cause my blood is still pumping, pumping Will be forever ***************************************************************************  
  
Hotaru sighed, she was the solitary soldier wasn't she? Destined to live life alone. Alone with the silence. The one warrior that would survive in the chaotic worlds and times that made humans thrive.  
  
Yet she could never become close to it. To touch the love and lives of those around her. The only people who'd she'd ever come close to were the Outers and Ser.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Will you, Remember me  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Were the fates so cruel to doom her to stare into the eyes of the person she loved for eternity and see that he didn't even know her.  
  
Hotaru wanted to reach out so bad at that moment and touch him. 'Yaten.' her heart screamed. 'Remember me, please!'  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
I need you, but it's o.k. I know that, I'll find my way I will begin to find another love  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
"Hey." Yaten said softly. "Um. earlier. I didn't mean to like just start away with no explanation. Reece had no right to be so rude to you and I felt it my duty to apologize for her because won't. Sorry about that again."  
  
"It's.. okay." Hotaru whispered.  
  
She felt the line between breaking and staying together slipping away from her. Like the world was crumbling under her feet. 'Yami. Remember, there are others out there. Someone destined for you is waiting. Get over him.'  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
You took away my chance to Be with you forever To be your love and stay together You gave away the precious love that we had to somebody else Oh baby I wanna tell you  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
"Good then." Yaten frowned slightly feeling the softness coming on again. He steeled himself against it and spat out; "I don't apologize often, so consider yourself lucky."  
  
"..." Hotaru was speechless. What was she supposed to say to that.  
  
"Jya ne." Yaten muttered and turned in the other direction. He started to walk away. Leaving Hotaru standing alone wishing with all her heart she could let him her love walk away with him.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Remember me Remember everything we used to be Can you feel my heart pounding, pounding? Will be forever, Will you Remember you, remember me I remember everything we used to be  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Hotaru turned slightly and felt tears rush to her eyes. Unknown to her was that Yaten had stopped and turned around to look back at her.  
  
Even from his distance away he could see a crystalline tear fall to the earth. And with it, rain started to fall.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
'Cause my blood is still pumping, pumping Will be forever, Will you Remember me  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Yaten all of sudden felt his heart go out to the woman. He'd noticed she'd worn no wedding ring. So she must have been a single mother. Living alone, maybe with her sister from the shop and trying to raise her daughter. Probably going to collage.  
  
And to top it all off, he'd been rude right after he'd apologized for someone else being rude.  
  
"Miss?" He called out to her.  
  
Hotaru stiffened and her eyes went wide. Had he seen her cry? Had he seen the pain? Please no.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
I feel you  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Drawn by some unknown force Yaten started towards her.  
  
Hotaru turned around to face him; still with tears in her eyes.  
  
Seeing the pain; pain she was trying to hide; Yaten felt like he was being torn in two. Why? Why did this woman make him feel strange?  
  
  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Even I know  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
"Please leave me alone." Hotaru whispered. "Just go away and don't hurt me again."  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Be with you forever To be your love and stay together You gave away the precious love that we had to somebody else Oh baby I wanna tell you  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Her mind told her to run; her heart told her to stay.  
  
Yaten stared at her for a moment and a wave of familiarity washed over him. Like some sort of awareness had come back, he felt the girl.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Remember me  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Something about her. Something about her eyes, her tears, her fear.  
  
Slowly he lifted his hand to her face and moved the now rain soaked bangs from her eyes.  
  
They were so familiar. Yet so different.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Can you feel my heart pounding, pounding?  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Hotaru took in a shaky breath and turned away. Feeling the need to turn and run she closed her eyes. This wasn't happening.  
  
But hadn't she wanted it to? Hadn't she wished he'd remember her? He was wasn't he. The look in his eyes told her he saw something in her he knew.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Remember you, remember me  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Her eyes..  
  
They reminded him of..  
  
'There is no possible way' Yaten thought in horror. Yet. so much seemed like it fit.  
  
How? How could he have missed it?  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
'Cause my blood is still pumping, pumping Will be forever,  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
"Hotaru?"  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Will you remember me  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
She ran. 


	10. Lost to the Wind

Everyone: Thank you all for the reviews! I just gotta love em! lol... Sorry for the late update but I had exams this week and haven't had much time. So ya...  
  
Amphitrite: sorry, I don't know how many times I've apologized for it but I'll do it again. Sorry, I can't spell. I use spell check and everything. I guess I just need someone to edit for me ne? lol..  
  
Drive me Mercury: lol.. I'm glad I'm getting you stuck on Ten/Taru fics. One day I just thought of it and now I'm trying to spread it around!  
  
Dance n trance smurf and Whisper Reilman: *blushes* I've never been called. Kami or Megami before. But thanks.. Lol.  
  
Angel: Okay then. Since I got that done..  
  
Sage: On with the fic?  
  
Duo: Hell ya!  
  
Yaten: Baka author.  
  
Angel: *glomps* I love you too Ten-chan!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Serena sighed as she sat on the edge of the balcony.  
  
"You know what's gonna happen don't you?" A soft voice asked.  
  
Serena's blue eyes swiveled to the serene looking woman behind her. When she saw who it was, she relaxed and turned her eyes back to the picturesque scene in front of her.  
  
"I'm lost. I'm not sure what's going to happen anymore. It scares me so much at the fact that things are getting to complicated for even Hotaru to understand. Since we left the Senshi she and I have depended on one another. We built a strong foundation for a new life and have built up and out. But now.. Since the Starlight's walked into the store, I'm afraid it's about to crumple." Serena let out a long breathless sigh.  
  
The woman brushed a stray piece of fire colored hair from her crimson eyes. "It always seems more complicated then it really is. I've done something to the Light's that I regret now. I put pressure on them to marry. It wasn't fair, but they need to build lives. I'm afraid though, since my push, that they may not have happy ones."  
  
"I have one question; why are you back on earth?"  
  
"For answers."  
  
"Answers? Answers to what?"  
  
"To many questions and many thoughts. But now is not the time for that."  
  
"When is it ever?"  
  
"When the edge is so near that you can feel the fall without actually jumping."  
  
  
  
**************************************************************************** *******  
  
  
  
The gods hated him. They must absolutely despise him. Yet, even as these thoughts and more ran through Yaten's head, he didn't hear them. It's hard not to think about what you're thinking, but it's possible.  
  
When your emotions overload and your body moves on it's own. Moves without a second thought, you seal off all thoughts. You feel and you react. That's it. And that's what he was doing.  
  
Yaten let his body move. No thought of the fact he hated running or and exercise period. No thoughts on the fact he didn't like emotions overwhelming him or anyone. That he didn't like acting without calculating.  
  
Not now though. Everything he'd ever believed, thought, or did vanished in an instant. The instant he'd realized that he might have a chance.  
  
The one person he'd ever wanted. The one person he'd ever possibly thought about spending the rest of his life. She'd been there. Standing in front of him. And she'd run. He had to catch her. He was so close..  
  
'To close.' Hotaru's mind screamed. She'd outrun her normal distance. Even with her scout powers she'd never tried running this far this fast. Her body hurt, but she didn't stop. She couldn't.  
  
The city flew by.. The world. It was like they were trapped in some sort of distant reality. No one else but them. Running and running.  
  
'Was this it? What Ruka had wished for so many times to do? To race the wind and beat it? I feel like I am. I feel so lost. Like I've nowhere to go. No where I've been. It's so different.' Hotaru's mind whispered.  
  
A bridge soon appeared in the distance.  
  
Yaten saw it the same time Hotaru did. And both of them thought the same thing. The rushing water below would have a fast enough current to pull her away and slow enough for her to escape it and him.  
  
If she made it there.. She'd vanish forever. From him and his life.  
  
'Escape.' Hotaru took it. As she got to the edge..  
  
She jumped.  
  
So did he. 


	11. Let me be free

Angel: Okay, this is a bit longer then last chapter. Sorry for it's shortness. As I said I have exams and it's hard to find time at the moment. I hope this'll make up!  
  
Sage: So.  
  
Duo: On with the fic?  
  
Yaten: What else?  
  
  
  
  
  
Hotaru plummeted towards the river below. The breath had long ago left her to nothingness. She was part of the wind, the rain, the sky. She was flying, she was falling, she was floating. Nothing could stop her from being free.  
  
The pain was gone. She was nothing more then soul feeling for the first time in forever. Nothing more then what was there. Nothing less that what wasn't.  
  
Her eyes closed and she let herself give into the surreal. The emotions had taken their tole and now she was paying them in full. By releasing everything, she was taking everything.  
  
Blackness..  
  
Yaten watched as Hotaru fell towards the water. He knew when her body went limp and she was no longer conscience. Something had happened in the few short seconds she'd been falling towards the river. Something had made her close her eyes and give into nothingness.  
  
Was it him? Was it his fault?  
  
Hotaru hit the water with a soft splash and disappeared under the surface. A few seconds later, Yaten was in with her. But he was conscience.  
  
Yaten swam to the surface and took a deep breath of air. His jade eyes searched for Hotaru, but she wasn't there. Panic washed over him and he dove back under. He caught sight of her limp body being drawn down by the currant.  
  
He swam fast and faster. Trying so hard to reach her. So close.. She was right in front of him. Yet every time he thought he could touch her, she was just out of reach.  
  
Yaten felt his air supply dying down and he needed to resurface. But he didn't he needed to reach Hotaru. He had to grasp her. He reached. almost..  
  
His hand caught hers. Yaten pulled her body to his and held her there for a moment. With a surge of energy he swam towards the surface and broke through to the air.  
  
He inhaled deeply and set to fighting the current to shore. Soon Yaten was there, dragging Hotaru's weak body onto the sand. His eyes widened when he realized she wasn't breathing.  
  
'Damn.' He cursed to himself. Yaten knelt at her side and lowered his lips to hers. 'Breath' he urged as he continued to breath air.  
  
Soon, Hotaru started to cough. Water came from her lips as she rolled over and spat it out. Yaten wrapped his arms around her when she'd finally stopped coughing and held her there.  
  
Still not in full control of herself, Hotaru leaned against the warmth and fell asleep.  
  
Cold and tired. Scared and shaken. Yaten stood up with Hotaru's form safely in his arms. He was so confused.  
  
Here she was.. The woman he'd longed for. The girl he'd prayed he'd find. She was there in his arms. Safe. But she hated him. She had to. He'd hurt her. And she'd run from him.  
  
But for now. Yaten had her. And that's all that mattered as he started to trudge towards the city.  
  
The rain was still falling, but he didn't notice. He was soaked already. It didn't matter. All that mattered was to keep the woman in his arms safe. To keep her with him. 'Am I weak?' Yaten asked himself. 'Am I so weak as to fall so deeply in love with someone?'  
  
Taking a deep breath, Yaten cleared his mind. His first instinct was to take her back to the hotel they were staying at. But what about Reece? Reece.. He hadn't even thought about her. She was his betrothed.  
  
But Hotaru was the one he loved.  
  
"I'd do anything to win her love back." Yaten whispered. "I will win her and if I have to take her to ends of the universe to escape the councils ruling I will."  
  
"You'd run from your duty?" Seiya asked.  
  
Yaten stared at the man he sometimes called brother, "Yes."  
  
Seiya sighed. He'd seen the silhouette of Yaten walking in the rain as he himself had been returning home. Only as he'd approached had he seen the woman in his friend's arms. "What about our princess?"  
  
".. I don't know."  
  
"You really do love her don't you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I'll help you." Seiya walked to Yaten and put his hand on the shorter man's shoulder. "No matter what happens, I'll be there."  
  
"Thanks Seiya."  
  
"What are brothers for?"  
  
"We're not really brothers. We haven't been the best of friends either."  
  
"No, but we ought to start somewhere."  
  
Seiya and Yaten sighed and started towards their hotel, ready for whatever greeted them on the other side of the threshold. 


	12. Morning Light

Once upon a time I was a young man  
  
always knew what I wanted to do  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
Yaten set Hotaru's pale form in his bed. "This isn't a dream." He finally said aloud. "You're real. And you're here. With me. No matter what comes tomorrow. I'll have you tonight."  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
These times were still the best as I remember  
  
Cause nothing was impossible to me  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
Hotaru sighed in her sleep. She rolled towards Yaten's warmth as he climbed into bed with her. His arms wrapped around her and held her against him. It was a wonderful feeling for him. To have the small creature in his arms. She'd run.. yes. And she probably would again. But for the small moments in the night, he'd hold her. Hold her tight and not let her go.  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
Then one day I met you and I still wonder  
  
How you could make my dreams come true so fast  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
Seiya felt like screaming at Reece to stop being such a bitch. He probably would have if he wasn't sure if Yaten had Hotaru safely in his room or not. Five minutes more and he was going to slap the woman.  
  
Taking five minutes more, Seiya controlled his urges to throw Reece out the window or off the roof. He finally gave up with the distraction and excused himself to sleep. Reece rolled her eyes and went off to her room and closed the door.  
  
"She spends so much time in there, I sometimes wonder what she's doing." Seiya muttered to himself as he stalked towards Yaten's room.  
  
He opened the door and found Yaten and Hotaru curled up. "I can't believe that Yami and Hotaru are the same person. I mean, earlier today, there was this woman, in the store that was so totally new to all of us. Then tonight, there's the fragile girl in Yaten's arms. She looked different but she felt the same." Seiya sighed and clicked off the lights. "Night you two."  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
I doubted that such a miracle would happen  
  
But you saw something deep inside of me  
  
  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
Across the city, Serena stared out into the night. "Where are you Yami? Hotaru? Who are you now?"  
  
She closed her eyes and turned towards the balcony door where an hour earlier she'd talked with the Starlight's Princess.  
  
"Who am I? Am I Hikari or Serena? Hikari is strong and has a life. She's just a normal girl from earth with a sister and a niece. She's never been hurt. But Serena is different. She has a past. A past filled with pain and missions to follow. Of duty and honor in life. She's from the moon, with friends and family. But she never seems to belong."  
  
Taking a deep breath, Serena calmed herself and walked into the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea.  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
I believe in the morning light  
  
When I know you'll be calling  
  
  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
The sun broke through into Hotaru's dreams and as her eyes fluttered opened she gasped.  
  
Had it all been a dream? Was she still Yaten's house on the hill in Japan? Was she still with her lover in his warm embrace? Was she alone with a man during a storm and it had just broken? Had she not been hurt? Was she going to be with him still after the storm?  
  
A nasty voice from outside the door caused Hotaru's heart to shatter again. 'Reece.' The name echoes in her mind like a dead wait on her shoulders.  
  
But what was she doing with Yaten? In a room that was unfamiliar?  
  
That's when the memories of the previous night decided to pound down upon her senses. The fight with Hikari, seeing Yaten in the park, running, jumping, falling, and then the blackness. And the warmth..  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
I believe in the morning light  
  
When I know you'll be there  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
She had to get out of there. 'No, Hotaru would want to get out of here. I'm Yami. A perfectly normal human girl with a perfectly normal life. I don't really know this man beside me.' Yet her heart told her otherwise.  
  
Slowly, Yami detangled herself from Yaten's arms, and then the sheets; but not without rousing Yaten. His green eyes opened slowly but didn't quite focus. "Taru, koi. Come back to bed." He murmured still half in dreams.  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
I believe in the morning light  
  
Where I know I will see your face again  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
Yami felt a pang of regret; 'not for him of course. I haven't done anything. Or have I? No, I'm Yami, not Hotaru.'  
  
She closed her eyes for a moment then turned towards the door. Yami slowly opened it and peered through the crack. She'd have a clean get away; except for Reece. The woman was sitting on the couch watching tv.  
  
'She might not see me. But if she did? What then?' Yami shook it off, she'd just have to try.  
  
Taking a deep breath, she reached for the knob and started to open the door slowly.  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
You will be there, you'll be free  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
But. she was stopped by Yaten's arms sliding around her waist. "Not now, not yet." He murmured in her ear. Yami froze. She had nowhere to run. No escape now.  
  
"Let me go." Yami tried to order, though it came out more as a plea.  
  
"No, not now. Not ever again."  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
I can't accept the fact that you are gone now  
  
Somehow there is a way just tell me how  
  
  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
"I can't let you go. I did that once, and lost you. I won't loose you again."  
  
Yami disappeared. All together the façade, the carefully made walls around her heart, they all shattered.  
  
Yaten had said.. But they were just words, Hotaru reminded herself. Just words. Then why did she feel herself being drawn into his embrace and not fight back.  
  
Why did she want him to hold her like this? To not let her go?  
  
"I'm Yami." She whispered.  
  
"No, you're Hotaru." His breath was warm on her neck but it made her shiver.  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
I'll stay around as long as it may take you  
  
to turn around and see that I'm still here  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
Giving into his warmth, Hotaru relaxed a little. "You hurt me."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"I..."  
  
"I should have gone after you. But I was feeling sorry for myself."  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
I believe in the morning light  
  
When I know you'll be calling  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
"Yaten."  
  
"I'm sorry, Hotaru. I love you."  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
I believe in the morning light  
  
When I know you'll be there  
  
  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
Hotaru was speechless. What was she supposed to say. Yami was gone, Hotaru was hurting, and Yaten was healing. What now? She still loved him.  
  
"Yaten. I.."  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
I believe in the morning light  
  
Where I know I will see your face again  
  
You will be free, you'll be there  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
The door flew open and Reece stepped in. 


	13. What Do You Say

Angel: Well... Hm.. what to say? Thanks for all the reviews! I'm like in heaven when I update cause I know people actually like my writing.  
  
Sage: Whatever.. It's not like you're famous or anything. You're just another one of the million.  
  
Angel: Did you have to spoil it?  
  
Duo: Don't we always?  
  
Yaten: Yep...  
  
Angel: Well I glomp all my bishi's *sends them glare*.. Please enjoy!  
  
Notes:  
  
Fire Snake - please don't pout! I'd feel awful!  
  
Elemental Firefly - I have no idea if I can help, but I'll try if ya want me too!  
  
Drive Me Mercury - That's a good question; how does one manicure they're ass? And don't worry, Reece will be well taken care off, if ya know what I mean.  
  
Midnight Wisher - It's a song called "I believe in the morning light" by the ateens.  
  
Devils Little Doll - interest idea, have reader kill bitch. Maybe... but I have my own ways of torture. I'll let you have her after I'm done!  
  
Ashley - you baka! Under the Sun Over the Moon is mine, silly girl! I've let you have your parts, and will keep on letting you, but it's my story and I'm gonna publish someday! And quit saying you love me, you're acting weird baka. I thought you loved Gabby?  
  
Kris - what can I say? Ari... hm.. that will be fun reaction!  
  
Kiwi - thanks, I think. Is it good I made you cry? I hope so.... I think. Lol..  
  
Everyone else - sorry I'm not mentioning your names, my figures are getting tired and I still have to finish the chapter! So ya! Thanks so much!  
  
Angel: Oh and this is from Taru's pov for a while. I'll let ya know if it changes!  
  
**************************************************************************** ***  
  
What Do You Say  
What do you say when you're confronted by a problem so great it's capable of tearing your heart in two? If anyone knows, I'd love for you to let me in on it. I don't really know how to explain why I didn't just walk out of the room and leave Yaten to explain to Reece what was going on. It would serve him right for bringing me here and such.. But he'd apologized, and vowed his love.  
  
I couldn't leave him, ever. Something in my heart, no matter how foolish, was telling me to forgive and forget. Yaten... the guy that had come from the stars to safe his princess and ended up breaking me heart. But he's healing it. He's trying to make it up to me.  
  
"What's.. what's she doing here?" Reece hissed looking at Yaten then me. "I mean, Yaten dear, you welcome to your whores, but her? She's got a brat for crying out loud, and she's totally ugly. Look at the rags she's wearing?" Reece tapped a manicured nail to her chin.  
  
I'd love to break all her nails. Stupid manicured assed bitch. (An: I'm going to over use that, aren't I? Lol... Drive me mercury, thanks for the line!) How day she insult Ari! My baby!  
  
"Brat?" Yaten asked.  
  
"You know, the kid the slut here had in the store." Reece winked at me. "Ya know, cute kid. But it'll grow up to be a whore just like her mommy."  
  
Strike three.. You're out! I've had it up to here with the woman. I know Michi-mama taught me to be respectful, but this was a whole other ball game.  
  
I was about to yell back at Reece, when Yaten grasped my hand. "Let's get this strait Reece. Hotaru is not a bitch, not a whore, or anything else!" He glared at Reece. "I've had it with you! The council is forcing me to get married, you were a proper lady from a good family and I didn't want anyone else but the woman I'd lost, so they said I had to marry you! Well, damn the jerks on the council and you. I've got Hotaru back, I'm not loosing her again!" Yaten took a deep breath.  
  
(An: It's your pov now.)  
  
"What do you mean, love?" Reece asked in whiny voice.  
  
"Let me clear it up for you." Seiya said strolling into the room, "Yaten and Hotaru are together. They're happy. You, you and you're bitchy bossy moods get to go back to the princess."  
  
"That's defying orders." Reece lashed at Yaten. "I mean, you're princess will be frantic when she hears this!"  
  
"I don't care."  
  
"What?" Reece asked.  
  
"I said, I don't care." Yaten repeated. "I'll defy the gods if I have to."  
  
Hotaru stood speechless staring at the scene in front of her. What was she supposed to say?  
  
"You belong to me!" Reece growled. "Not to that fragile stick in the mud bitch." She pointed at Hotaru. "The only reason I agreed to marry you is because you're rich and you got a high status. But I can find someone else. I doesn't bother me. The only thing that does is that you'd choose her over me."  
  
She was about to lunge at Hotaru but Seiya grabbed her. "Bitch." She hissed at Hotaru.  
  
"You know something Reece." Hotaru said calmly. "Maybe I am. But it's not because of today, or anything to do with you. It's to do with what I've thought since I left Yaten a few years ago. I think that it's partly my fault I suffered. I could have gone back, could have talked. But I didn't."  
  
"Whatever." Reece said. "I don't care. Just know this; I'll be back. And with vengeance." Reece loosened Seiya's arms and strolled out of the room leaving Hotaru, Yaten and Seiya alone.  
  
**************************************************************************** ****  
  
Yaten, Seiya and Hotaru were seated on the sofa in the hotel room; Taiki was on a chair. Seiya had told him and asked if he wanted to leave them and go back to they're home with Reece. He hadn't. "I'm going where ever you are." He said. Probably to get away from Reece.  
"Now what?" Seiya asked.  
  
"We have to get out of here." Yaten muttered. "We have to leave earth."  
  
"Where will we go?" Hotaru whispered. She sent a questioning glance at Yaten.  
  
"You want to come?" Yaten asked softly. "I don't want to force you too."  
  
"I know." Hotaru said. "I know that now. Sure you were an ass."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Welcome. But it is partly my fault."  
  
"No, it's totally mine." Yaten said. He closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Thank you Yaten. Thank you so much." Hotaru whispered.  
  
"Okay, if you two are done..." Seiya groaned. (An: I know I'm ooc, but come on, this is a romance fic. Can I help it?) "And I have a question?"  
  
"Does it concern me?" Yaten asked.  
  
"I don't know." Seiya glanced at Hotaru. "It might."  
  
"Whatever. I'm hungry." Yaten stood up, and I'm going to the kitchen."  
  
Yaten yawned and then continued through to the small kitchen that was about five feet away. (Remember, they're rich on earth so they get the huge hotel rooms with everything in them)  
  
Seiya scooted closer to Hotaru and leaned down to her ear, "What's with the baby?"  
  
"Um...." Hotaru blushed crimson. "Her name's Ari."  
  
"I got that."  
  
"She's my daughter."  
  
"You're stalling."  
  
"I know...." Hotaru took a deep breath then blurted it out. "Wellshe'syatensandi'mreallyscaredcauseshemeanseverythingtomeandiwanthimtoli keher."  
  
Taiki raised an eyebrow at all the whispering and Hotaru's sudden incomprehensible outburst. He just shook his head and pulled a book from the table next to him. Slowly, giving a last look at the pouty looking girl and Seiya, he started to read.  
  
"What was that? You went a bit to fast." Seiya asked, poking at Hotaru's side.  
  
"I said," Hotaru leaned closer. "She's Yaten's and I'm really scared cause she means everything to me and I want him to like her."  
  
"Aw." Seiya grinned. "So tell him."  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"Well, aren't you two cozy." Yaten said looking at them from the kitchen door. His eyes were narrowed and his lips tight, as if he want to yell. "I'm going for a walk." He sent them one last fleeting glance then strolled to the door, and out.  
  
"What just happened?" Hotaru asked softly.  
  
"He's jealous."  
  
"Ten-chan?"  
  
"What do you think?"  
  
**************************************************************************** **  
  
"Yaten! Yaten, wait!" Hotaru hurried after the rain soaked man. It had started to rain, and it did not just rain, it poured. Neither she nor Yaten had coats on, so they were both getting soaked. But it didn't seem to matter to Yaten, he just kept on walking, Hotaru always a step behind him. 'For someone who hates physical activities, he sure is fast.'  
  
By now they'd reached the park, (An: I really like the park don't I?) and Yaten did not seem to want to stop. "Yaten!"  
  
"What?" He finally stopped and spun around to her. His eyes were glowing bright green.  
  
"What's wrong?" Hotaru asked, approaching him cautiously.  
  
"Nothing!"  
  
"Yaten, if you're jealous cause I was talking with Seiya, just say so."  
  
"I am not jealous! And you were not talking, you were cuddling, and whispering to one another!"  
  
"We were not, he asked me a question that I didn't want the world hearing the answer to!"  
  
"Whatever." He turned and started walking again.  
  
"Yaten Kou!" Hotaru called fiercely. "Don't you dare run away from me!"  
  
Silence.  
  
Hotaru felt like she was dieing inside. 'What had happened? One minute they were happy, talking about plans for a future. The next..' Tears started to fall from Hotaru's eyes. "I cry to much." She whispered to herself before letting herself fall to the ground.  
  
"Stop that." Yaten said. "Don't cry."  
  
"I'm sorry. I just didn't want you to hate me. Ari mean so much.. I want you to like her. I wanted us to live happily ever after."  
  
"What are you mumbling about?" He slowly crouched down beside her.  
  
She looked up slightly, with glassy, tear filled eyes. "I want you to love Ari."  
  
"Ari?"  
  
"Our daughter."  
  
Slowly, comprehension dawned on Yaten's face. "We have a daughter?" Hotaru buried her head again, not wanting to see Yaten's anger. "I have a daughter? The baby in the shop? The one Reece was yelling about? I.. I'm going to hurt her! That bitch! She can't insult me kid like that!"  
  
Yaten stopped ranting when he noticed Hotaru had not lifted her eyes again. "Taru? Hotaru, what's wrong?"  
  
"You hate me?"  
  
"No. Hotaru, I love you. And I know I'll love Ari. I'm sorry, I was jealous." (An: OOCness, oh well!) "Now, tell me all about Ari, all about you're life now. I want to know what I've missed, every moment."  
  
"Yaten.." Hotaru looked at him, a small smile dancing on her lips. He opened his arms and she crawled into them.  
  
"Everything from now on is going to be good. We'll be happy. And we'll be family."  
  
So, Hotaru and Yaten sat there, soaking wet until Seiya and Taiki found them. They were asleep by them. Both with smiles upon they're lips.  
  
**************************************************************************** *  
  
"So we have to get Hikari, or Serena, and Ari then we go." Taiki sighed.  
  
"Yes." Seiya muttered. "I can't believe I didn't realize she was Serena." He kept beating himself for it. "I don't understand one thing, what happened to Darien and the other scouts?"  
  
"Ask Hotaru when she gets up." Taiki said, he looked back at the room where Hotaru was sleeping peacefully. Yaten had woken when they'd tried to move him, and had ended up not going back to sleep. He'd carried Hotaru back and then changed her clothes and put her to bed.  
  
Yaten smiled slightly, still not used to the fact he now had a daughter.  
  
"Quit smiling."  
  
"What?" Yaten asked, as if coming out of a daze.  
  
"I said quit smiling."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Why not?" Seiya frowned.  
  
"I have a daughter! Aren't I aloud to be happy?"  
  
**************************************************************************** *********  
  
After another hour, Hotaru had finally woken up, and Seiya had relayed his question to her.  
  
"What's there to tell?" Hotaru asked quietly. "It's not a long or terrible tragedy, it's the fact that we all wanted normal lives. Ser and Darien broke up. No tears were shed or anything like that. Sure they loved one another, but they wanted different things. So they split up and as I know it are still friends."  
  
"As you know it?" Taiki asked.  
  
Hotaru ran a hand through her silver hair, "I'll start from the beginning. After I left Yaten's place, I went back to mine. Serena showed up on my doorstep and told me Setsuna had sent her to talk. Well, then she said 'I'm going where you're going,' and we changed ourselves and left. No word to anyone, not a note or goodbye. It sounds mean, but it seemed for the best for everyone. The girls could live normally; no princess to protect if they couldn't find her and the Outers could go on and train without me to care for. We also aren't the strongest of fighters or the most willing to give up everything in battle. We wanted normal lives; a chance to start over. We've found it.."  
  
"Until now." Seiya murmured.  
  
"You've had no contact with the scouts or anyone from Japan."  
  
"Only Setsuna." Hotaru replied.  
  
"Wow." Taiki murmured. "You miss them?"  
  
"I do. Yami didn't."  
  
"What do you mean?" Yaten asked quietly. "Aren't you Yami?"  
  
"In a way, yes. But also no. Yami is a normal person, no knowledge of the scouts or life before she came here. I sealed the rest of me away, so I wouldn't feel the pain of missing my friends or my old life. Yami was like a defense, like a shield I'd made around myself. But it broke."  
  
"You're going to leave it at that? How did Yami break?" Seiya asked.  
  
"Um.." Hotaru's eyes flew to Yaten. He was watching her, as if knowing what had happened. "Hard to explain." She murmured after a moment.  
  
"Back to the matter at hand." Taiki said. "We've betrayed king and country and now have to run."  
  
"King?" Hotaru asked.  
  
"Princess Kaguya's brother." Seiya said. "He's kind and nice, but he would not understand this."  
  
"I don't understand why you have to flee." Hotaru said.  
  
"The council ordered all of us to marry, we don't really like who were chosen for us. You met Reece, you can imagine our brides." Seiya shuddered. "Most of the woman in the royal court aren't as bad as Reece, but some are. We weren't lucky."  
  
"I can imagine." Hotaru said softly.  
  
"Ya. And by Yaten forsaking the councils choice; and us helping him."  
  
"You're forsaking your king and country." Hotaru finished.  
  
Yaten slid his hand over Hotaru's and smiled, "We'll figure something out."  
  
She gazed back at him for a moment then smiled too; 'I don't understand myself. How can I forgive him so easily? Why do I love him so much? Am I really willing to risk everything? Yes.'  
  
"We could go to the moon." Hotaru said.  
  
"Nani?" Taiki asked. "The moon?"  
  
"It has an underground city, once used in times of war for the citizens to hide and the queen to be safe. Us, Ser, and Ari could go there and live. We could shop quickly; get tons of food and clothes and other things. It's close to earth so we could come back more things if we needed them."  
  
"It's a good plan." Yaten said. "But wouldn't we all get lonely there."  
  
"Probably." Seiya muttered. "But. I know some refugees from planets destroyed a few years ago that live as gypsies and travel the universe looking for a home. I know the leader and I'm sure they'd come live in the city. We could start a new moon kingdom. Like the one you and Serena lived in."  
  
"Ser could be queen." Taiki murmured.  
  
"No. We could live a voted government. With all of us deciding. A real democracy, not like the ones on earth. But one that actually works." Hotaru smiled. "I like that idea."  
  
(An: Can you tell I don't like the US government? Sure I like the idea, but it's not the best system in the world. Oh well. By the way, I'm an American; see how much we love it? Lol.) 


	14. Home Again, Home Again, Jiggedy jig jig

Home Again, Home Again. Jiggedy, Jig, Jig  
Hikari fled from the emotions she felt when she saw Hotaru and the Three Lights standing at the door. "What's going on?"  
  
"We're leaving." Hotaru murmured. "And we're going to live life again. We're going to go somewhere where no one will care. We're going home Ser, we're going to start again on the moon."  
  
Hikari disappeared.  
  
Hotaru smiled at her friend, then hurried past her into the bedroom where Ari slept. Taking tentive steps, she walked to the crib and looked down at the sleeping baby. "Hi sweety."  
  
"She's beautiful." Yaten said, coming to stand beside her. "Wow.."  
  
"Uh huh." Hotaru glanced up at him, then moved into his arms.  
  
"Hurry up." Taiki said, peeking into the room. "Remember, this isn't a vacation. We don't have all year."  
  
"Ya ya." Yaten glared after his friend. "He is right though. Just don't tell him I told you that."  
  
Hotaru giggled then leaned down and lifted Ari out of the crib. "We need the crib dismantled. Her diapers and such; my stuff, Ser's stuff, and food."  
  
"Bed?"  
  
"Just the blankets for now."  
  
"Right." Yaten started to dismantled the crib as Hotaru set Ari in stroller. Then she set to stripping the bed and folding the blankets in a neat pile. "Clothes?" Yaten asked, adding the pieces of crib and the small blankets to her pile.  
  
"In the dresser and closet." Hotaru said, pointed to the areas she meant.  
  
**************************************************************************** **  
  
Serena sent a glance at Seiya as he pulled extra blankets out of the closet. She herself was getting boxes and suitcases to pack everything in. "This is weird." She murmured, finally breaking the silence.  
  
"Ya. But I don't know what to say."  
  
Serena giggled, "You always have before."  
  
He smiled at her, a smile that reached his eyes and made them sparkle. "I usually do, don't I?"  
  
"Uh huh." Serena grinned, "But that's okay. We can get back into the swing of things."  
  
"My thoughts exactly, Odega."  
  
**************************************************************************** **  
  
"Done." Taiki said, adding the last box into the limo they'd rented.  
  
"Now all we need to do is shop." Seiya said.  
  
"Shopping!" Serena said with a giggle. "I can't wait."  
  
"Okay, how bout you four go shopping while I go with the stuff to Look Out point." Taiki volunteered. (An: That's the point where we'll leave from.) "And then I'll send the limo back to you."  
  
"Good idea." Seiya said.  
  
As soon as Taiki had driven past the corner, the four remaining looked at each other for what to do.  
  
"How bout we split up?" Serena asked. "Taru, you and Yaten can get cooking things plus lamps, books, paper, pens, stuff for Ari, whatever else.. And we'll get bathroom things, tools, games, flashlights and whatever else we think of."  
  
"Okay." Hotaru nodded, leaving no choice for the guys. "But I just thought of something."  
  
"What?" Seiya asked.  
  
"What about school?"  
  
"Oh god." Serena muttered. "I totally forgot."  
  
"The net?" Yaten asked.  
  
"Nani?" Hotaru looked at him.  
  
"See if you can finish you're classes and get you're diplomas and stuff over the internet. I've heard of that being done on earth."  
  
"Yaten!" Serena hugged him. "That's such a great idea."  
  
He glared at her for a moment then smiled. "Whatever."  
  
**************************************************************************** *  
  
"Last stop on the list." Hotaru said as she and Yaten headed into the baby store.  
  
"Yep." Yaten sighed as he pushed Ari through the door.  
  
They walked down a few isles, picking up items here and there, then throwing them into a cart Hotaru had managed to get from the front desk at the mall. (An: Oops, forgot to mention they're all in a huge mall. K?)  
  
"Aw, how sweet!" A woman murmured when she saw Ari. "What an adorable baby. And what an adorable family for that matter."  
  
Hotaru smiled and blushed slightly. "But we're not a family." She murmured to Yaten.  
  
"Technically we are." Yaten said back. "Ari is our daughter, you're mom, I'm dad. So.."  
  
"But we're not married."  
  
"That can be changed."  
  
"Yaten!" Hotaru gasped, but he'd already disappeared down an isle.  
  
**************************************************************************** ****  
  
(An: I'm skipping ahead to them all being at the departure point cause you really don't want to hear all the stuff they buy, do you?)  
  
"Now what?" Serena asked. She looked up into the starry sky. It had gotten late, around midnight, and she had no clue what they were going to do now. Neither did Hotaru, who was gazing down at Ari.  
  
"We teleport." Taiki said.  
  
"With all this stuff? How?" Hotaru asked.  
  
"That's what the net is for. We pile all the boxes and suit cases onto the net, then we each grab a corner and throw our power through that, so we're all connected, but not by touch."  
  
"And we can get all the stuff." Seiya finished. "We're gonna be tired, but that's how it goes I guess."  
  
"Ya.." Hotaru sighed.  
  
"Ready." Seiya said as he started to pile everything onto the net. The others joined in and soon they each took they're place at a corner of the net. Hotaru clutched Ari to her and wondered how she was going to hold the net and Ari without being lost along the way.  
  
"Here." Yaten slid his hand into her free one and his other onto the net. "This will work better. Now all you have to worry bout is Ari, I'll hold you and the net." Hotaru smiled and squeezed his hand.  
  
"How we ready?" Taiki asked.  
  
"Yes." Serena said with a nod. "I'm ready for this adventure to start."  
  
"Right!" 


	15. Fly Me To the Moon

Angel: Hey hey all! Thanks for the reviews.  
  
Sage: she doesn't own anything  
  
Duo and Yaten: Yep!  
  
Angel: Anywase.. I got a few questions to answer.  
  
DMM; the reason the girls haven't missed the senshi is because they sort of hid they're past lives down deep. That's who Hikari and Yami were, people that were normal and didn't think of the past with their friends. Of course now they're going to start missing they're friends cause Hikari and Yami disappeared. K?  
  
**************************************************************************** **  
  
We're Off To See the Moon  
"Ow." Yaten murmured as he opened his eyes. It was night, he thought to himself. But something was wrong; there was no moon in the sky.. Only earth!!! "Nani?" He yelled trying to sit up, but something was pinning him down.  
  
"Will you be quiet?" A sleepy voice said. Yaten glanced down at his chest and closed his eyes, 'wait.. It wasn't a dream. We're on the moon, I have a daughter and I've betrayed my heritage and princess. Great!' Yaten sighed and opened his jade eyes again.  
  
"Come on Taru, it's time we find this underground world you were telling us about."  
  
"I don't wanna get up Ruka-papa. I wanna sleep just five minutes longer." Hotaru cuddled into his chest a bit more.  
  
"Oh great, I'm being compared to her.. parent figure."  
  
Deciding to let her sleep, Yaten managed to sit up without disturbing her. He looked around and found Seiya, Taiki, and Serena cuddled up near by. "How cute." He muttered sarcastically. "Wait!" 'Ari.' His mind yelled. Looking around he found the small girl in the cradle in between Seiya and Taiki.  
  
"Well, now I know everyone's here, I'll just have to wait till everyone gets up.."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Two hours later..  
  
"Wow." Serena said as she opened her eyes. "We made it."  
  
Seiya groaned and sat up, "I'm tired."  
  
"Hai." Hotaru sighed as she worked a cramp out of her leg.  
  
"Hey Yaten!" Seiya grinned as he stood up, "stop being lazy, get up! Wakey wakey!"  
  
"Shut up." Yaten hissed as he rolled over, and onto a pile of rocks. "Ow."  
  
Hotaru giggled softly and tugged at Yaten's shirt. "Come on Ten-chan." He nodded and sat up. Silence fell over the group as they looked around.  
  
Taiki closed his eyes and smiled, 'I'm going to be lonely, ne?' He thought to himself. Sure he seemed content alone, but it wasn't he liked being around people too. He missed Amy. 'I do not!' He thought, 'I thought she was nice and fun. Sure we had a lot of great conversations, but..'  
  
"Hey." Serena said, putting her hand on Taiki's shoulder, "You okay?"  
  
"Hai." He said softly.  
  
"Let's go." Seiya said as he grabbled a hold of the net. Taiki, Serena, and Yaten stood up and grabbed on as well. Hotaru sighed as she took Ari into her arms. The small group headed off towards the ruins of the city.  
  
"How long should it take us?" Yaten asked.  
  
"Twenty minutes to get there, then about five minutes in the tunnels. That's if we can get past all the coded." Hotaru said.  
  
"The coded?" Taiki asked.  
  
"The coded are things to throw people off. They each take a password or the answer to a riddle they give you." Serena explained with a smile, "It was build that way so that not just anyone could enter."  
  
"Ya.." Hotaru. "I'm not sure why people didn't go there when the Silver Millennium was ending though."  
  
"My mother did want them too."  
  
"What?" Hotaru asked.  
  
"She knew that our time on the moon was up and that if people went to the city then it would have been destroyed as well. She didn't want that. She knew someday, someone would need it as a haven."  
  
"Oh." Seiya said. "She must have known we were gonna come huh?"  
  
"Ya right." Yaten rolled his eyes.  
  
"You never know." Taiki murmured.  
  
**************************************************************************** *  
  
"Wow, this place had a number done on it." Yaten muttered looking around the ruins of the moon kingdom.  
  
"So how do we get to the tunnels?" Seiya asked.  
  
"Ser?" Hotaru asked. Serena sighed and let her end of the net fall softly to the ground. It didn't matter much; the others had it. She walked slowly over to the fallen palace. She ran her hand over carvings on the wall.  
  
"This way." She whispered after a moment. Though she started to walk, her mind had strayed elsewhere. 'The last time I was here was with the Inners. We were fighting Beryl then and mom had called us here. I miss my friends. I hadn't realized it until now. Amy, Raye, Lita, and Mina. I wonder how Hotaru feels? I mean, as close I was to the Inners, the Outers were Hotaru's only real family.' Her eyes filled with tears, 'I can remember being at the temple like it was yesterday. All of us were there, having fun. We were so carefree; and then Darien.. Well, it wasn't anything major. He kissed another girl, I don't even know who. But he said, he felt trapped with destiny hanging over our heads. I can understand that. And isn't it true that we create our own destiny? So I let Darien go.. I let him walk away with out a word of protest. Maybe I should have. Maybe then I would still be at home with my friends.'  
  
Serena glanced back at the Lights and Hotaru. 'But then. I have friends here. It's not the same as Earth, but this will have to work. For all of us.'  
  
"There." Ser murmured, pointing at a tile of the ballroom floor. "We have to move the tile."  
  
"Okay then." Seiya muttered. He and Taiki bent down and shoved it out of the way. Underneath was a very dark hole.  
  
"How do we get down?" Hotaru asked.  
  
"Good question." Serena replied making everyone sweat drop.  
  
"I'll go first." Seiya sighed. "Ser should follow. The rest of you stay out here and start putting things in piles to be carried down. We're not going to be able to fit the net. I'll come back for you in a second." Taking a deep breath he slid into the hole.  
  
After a moment of silence, Hotaru peeked into the hole. "Are you okay?" She called.  
  
"Fine!" Seiya said, "It's about five feet down, not much. Send a flashlight down, then Ser you can come. I'll catch you."  
  
"Okay." Serena said. Taiki threw a flashlight down and then Serena walked over and closing her eyes, jumped in.  
  
"Umph." They heard a moment later then a giggle that could only mean Serena was okay.  
  
"We'll be back as soon as we have all the coded cleared." Serena called up. "Don't worry. It shouldn't take long."  
  
Their footsteps soon disappeared and Taiki, Hotaru, and Yaten stood looking down at the hole. "We ought to get piling." Hotaru commented.  
  
"Ya." Yaten sighed.  
  
"How bout we take turns?" Taiki commented. "That way it won't seem so long or boring. I'll go first, then Yaten, then Hotaru. Okay?"  
  
"Sure." Hotaru smiled. "I think I'll take a walk then." She smiled down at Ari. "I think Ari needs her exercise anywase."  
  
"I'll come." Yaten said, following after Hotaru.  
  
"What'd ya wanna bet Seiya and Serena will be back before them." Taiki commented to no one. "What'd wanna bet?" He chuckled and started piling up the stuff.  
  
**************************************************************************** ***  
  
"Do you ever miss the other scouts?" Yaten asked as he walked through the broken down buildings.  
  
"Very much." Hotaru smiled sadly. "It's hard. I relied on Ruka, Michi, and Suna for so much. And now.."  
  
"You only have yourself?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
Yaten stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. She turned to face him as he smiled softly down at her. "I know I'm not the greatest guy in the world, but I'm here if you need me."  
  
"I know." Hotaru sighed, "I love you."  
  
"I love you too."  
  
"Ag!" Ari cried, wanting attention.  
  
Yaten grinned down at the child and then glanced back at Taru. "Can I?" Hotaru giggled and handed Ari to Yaten. "Hey there." He whispered to the small baby. "You're the most adorable thing in the world."  
  
"Dada!"  
  
"Oh." Yaten said.  
  
"I guess she didn't need a lot of convincing."  
  
Yaten's green eyes jumped up sharply. "Will you?" He asked looking into Hotaru's eyes. 


	16. Acceptance

Angel: Help!!!!!!!!!!!!! Help!!!!!!!!!!!!! Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Sage: Stop screaming!  
  
Angel: *blushes* Sorry bout that, but I've been busy for the last few months and now that I finally get back to my fics, well.. I can't seem to think of what to write! And I'm now totally shocked cause I've never really been this long without updated and it's driving me insane..  
  
I suppose what's the biggest problem is the Coded. I don't know what to write in about them. And I'm having the damnest time writing a romance part for Seiya and Ser. For some reason those to parts are bugging me!!!!!! Ahhhhhhhh....  
  
Duo: Quick! Get the pixie sticks.  
  
Angel: Sugar... *calms down*  
  
Sage: If anyone has any ideas bout' these parts wanna tell her. She's going nuts.  
  
Angel: Uh huh. But since you've listened to me ramble, I'll write a bit o' chapter for ya... Jya ne!  
  
**************************************************************************** *  
  
Acceptance  
  
Why had Yaten fallen in love with an earth girl? The question had plagued Reece's mind since she'd left his hotel room the day before. Deciding that the whore had been manipulating him, she'd decided to go back to the hotel and talk some sense into him.  
  
Well, she'd gotten there, and now stood in the open door way staring at a nearly empty room. She ran into the living space and dashed from one bedroom to another. The same thing awaited her: nothing.  
  
"I have to report this to the King." She muttered, and silently she added to tell them it was the earth girl's fault.  
  
**************************************************************************  
  
The tunnel was dark and the small flashlight didn't illuminate the place as much as Serena would have liked. She kept expecting some yama to pop out and attack them. But this was home, right? So why did she keep feeling like she was trespassing..  
  
Seiya stopped causing Serena to run smack into his back and fall down on her bum. She glared up at his smiling face. "Thanks." She muttered sarcastically as he helped her up. He gave her another lop sided grin and touched his finger to his lips; signaling for silence.  
  
Serena peered around him and rubbed her eyes in amazement. There was a huge chasm with what seemed like no way across. But out of the corner of her eye, Ser spotted a glimmer of light. Slowly she made her way toward it..  
  
**************************************************************************** **  
  
Hotaru turned away from Yaten. His eyes made her forget everything: including why she was far away from her friends and family, and on the moon for that matter. But did it really matter? She asked herself. She loved him after all, and had volunteered to give up her life on earth to be with him.  
  
Yes, she could forget. Yes, she could move on. Yes she could start over. Yes she could have a family of her own.  
  
Slowly, she turned back and looked him straight in the eye. She sighed, "Why in the world did you want to fall in love with me Yaten Kou? Why me?" She leaned in and placed her lips on his, as he stood there shocked with a gurgling baby in his arms.  
  
Her lips were soft, was all he could think. And he'd missed her and the simple closeness and familiarity of being with her. He smiled into her lips.  
  
Hotaru slowly pulled away and looked at Yaten. "Why me?" She asked again. "For along time you kept complaining about Earthlings. Aren't I one?"  
  
"Yes, and no."  
  
"I don't belong to some fancy court anymore."  
  
"I know."  
  
"And I'm just plain woman now. Nothing special about me."  
  
"You're wrong about that."  
  
"And I have no idea how to be a perfect wife or whatever."  
  
"Um.. Taru?"  
  
"And I don't know how the woman from your galaxy are."  
  
Yaten set Ari down to play with the moon rocks as he pulled Hotaru him and crushed his lips against hers. When he finally released her she was dazed.. And quiet. "Finally." He muttered. Hotaru frowned. "No, not like that." He grinned. "What I meant is.. it doesn't matter if you're not perfect. You're you, and I love you. Gods help me and you, but I do."  
  
**************************************************************************** **********  
  
Taiki sighed, he had been working for awhile now. He was tired and slowly plopped down onto a rock. With an exasperated sigh, he said, "When am I ever gonna get the girl?" 


	17. Shiver

Shiver  
  
Tight arms wrapped around her waist, "Don't worry Mina, everything is gonna be okay." The blonde sighed and leaned into her newest boyfriend. After several attempts at just being single and living it, she gave into one of the cute guys at grad school.  
  
"You don't really don't get it Shishon! He's dead!" Tears filled her azure eyes and the crystal drops trailed down her cheeks. It had been forever since she had seen most of her friends. After highschool the scouts had drifted apart. Why did all friendships do that? Middle school to highschool friends split - highschool to collage the best friends of one's life left you. It was the way of the world..  
  
She hadn't really minded too much, sure she missed her friends - but it wasn't as bad as it had been at first. That was until.. until Amy died.  
  
After completing two years of collage she'd gone off to study one the field in Africa. There she'd helped in an orphanage and lived in a small village taking care of the sick tribal people. That was until one day when she contacted aids from a blood storage bank when a bottle had broken.  
  
No one knew - so when Amy returned home she was her same old self. And then she'd gotten sick - her health decreased until one day Raye had gone to visit her and found Amy in her bed - dead.  
  
Now Mina, Raye, Lita were alone. First Hotaru and Serena had disappeared, then Haruka and Michiru had gone off to the outer reaches of the solar system and probably wouldn't be back any time in the next hundred years, and Setsuna had locked them from the time gates, now this..  
  
Why? What had she done to anger the gods, Mina wondered, to make them take everyone she loved away. Did that mean the others were next? Then her boyfriend? Why? Why? Why?  
  
Well, she wasn't going to take it sitting down! She decided, as she stood there wrapped in her boyfriend's arms, that she would protect her friends, and. and find Ser and Taru! Yes, that's what she'd do!  
  
**************************************************************************** ***  
  
Serena stared at the chasm. What in the world was she going to do? More like she and Seiya? She glanced at him and watched as he paced back and forth.  
  
After following the glimmering path of light they'd come to a bridge. The bridge of sturdy and looked real enough, it felt real enough too. They'd found that out after Serena had tripped and went sliding onto the bridge. The problem with the bridge was that it stopped half way cross the chasm. Strangest thing too, there was nothing holding the bridge up.  
  
"So..." Seiya finally broke the silence.  
  
"I think it's a test." Serena muttered.  
  
"Okay.. What kind of test? And how do we pass it?" He watched the bridge with worried blue eyes. "This test can't be that hard, I mean it's only the first one?"  
  
"Maybe the first is worst?"  
  
"No, that would be to merciful."  
  
Serena sighed and closed her eyes; this was weird, but maybe.. Her eyes snapped open again and she smiled. "I got it!" Seiya looked at her in surprise. She turned to him and smiled, "Have you ever seen those stupid movies where the people have to walk across a big gap using faith and nothing else."  
  
Seiya raised a brow, "Are you sure? That sounds too easy."  
  
"Well it is the first test.."  
  
"Only one way to find out."  
  
"Yep."  
  
Seiya moved forward and Serena followed. As they slowly stepped onto the bridge it moved. A small yelp escaped Ser's lips and she grabbed onto Seiya. He pulled her against him and grabbed onto the railing with his other arm. The bridge moved and it turned as if the center was on a hinge. Slowly the end touched the other side of the chasm and held fast.  
  
"I think it's safe." Seiya murmured after a few minutes of waiting. Serena pulled herself away from his chest, blushing. But she still held onto his arm as they stepped onto the other side and the moment their feet were off the bridge it swung back around to the other side.  
  
"I guess there's no turning back now, huh?" A small shiver ran up her spine. 'Wish me luck Taru, I think we're gonna need it.'  
  
**************************************************************************** *********  
  
Little by little everything had been sorted. once Yaten and Hotaru had returned they'd finished up the rest of the work as Taiki took a break and played with Ari. They fell into a lull of silence once done and just sat around and waited.  
  
"Now what?" Hotaru finally broke the silence.  
  
".. We don't really have anything to do until Seiya and Serena get back, other then start to rebuild the city above ground. And that is not the best move right now. We need more people for the work up here." Taiki sighed.  
  
"Rational thinking." Hotaru muttered, "but then what do you suggest we do?"  
  
"Game?" Yaten asked.  
  
"What games?" Hotaru asked.  
  
"Um..."  
  
Taiki grinned as he took out a deck of cards, "I thought we might need them." Hotaru gave him a dazzling smile. Ari gave a giggle as she turned to look at the new "toy" Taiki had taken out. Sure they were just thin pieces of paper, but to her they were the world. She started to toddle over to Taiki, but Hotaru picked her up, causing the baby to whine and the grown ups to laugh.  
  
Yaten shuffled the cards then dealt them out, "Let's go." 


	18. The Council's Choice and the Watching Ey...

"They Did What?" Keska, the highest raining Chancellor of the Court of Princess Kakuya's Court yelled. His maroon eyes cut into Reece with a sharpness she was not used to.  
  
"Lord Yaten said he did not want to marry me and then he ran off with some Earth urchin and Lord Taiki and Lord Seiya went with them. They said something about defying the gods if they had to and never coming back."  
  
Keska hissed out an oath and turned his gaze away from the communications link to earth and the Lady Reece. He'd hoped that the Starlights would finally settle down and take their places in the court, but instead they had run off. Why, because of some girl, Reece had said. Lady Reece, yes she was a beauty, but there was much to be desired in her actions and moods. No, she was not telling the whole truth, there was something she was leaving out. And he would find out what!  
  
"I shall deal with this matter, Lady Reece. I suggest you return home. Do not worry everything shall be as it should be in a short time." Keska terminated the link and then turned back to his fellow council members. "I want five warriors to be sent to earth to investigate these accusations against the Starlights. The only way to know if the Lady speaks the truth is to bring back the Lights and have them tell their side. We shall have a ruling upon their finding."  
  
"Who shall we sent, Lord High Chancellor?" One of the members spoke up.  
  
"Sent Escher, Miguel, Tama, Ashia, and Artic. They will find the Starlights.. They are our best." So saying, Keska turned from the council and smiled. 'I am a fair man, I shall hear both sides.' "Oh, and have them bring me this woman as well."  
  
"So it is said, so it shall be done." One of the lower councilmen echoed.  
  
**************************************************************************** ***********  
  
Serena clutched Seiya's hand as they traveled deeper into the dark passage. After reaching the other side of the bridge and the chasm they'd followed the path into a corridor in the wall. It had started to grow darker and darker as they went further and soon it was black as pitch.  
  
Now Seiya led, taking each step one at a time and feeling out in front of him before he moved. Serena followed, praying for their safety. She kept feeling like she was missing something, but she wasn't sure what. She shook off the feeling as a light appeared at the end of the tunnel. (An: Mwhahahahahaha.. I just love clichés!)  
  
Seiya started walking faster, now that they could see, and the two reached the end of the passage quickly. It was drop off..  
  
Below them lay a labyrinth, a huge maze that seemed easy enough from above, but both knew once they were inside that it would be almost impossible. "I never realized this was going to take so long.." Seiya murmured.  
  
"These challenges were built to keep people from reaching our inner sanctuary." Serena replied, a memory touching her mind, "My great great grandfather had them built. He knew someday that they would be needed."  
  
"Hm.. well, if we can solve all of them, remind me to make a map for the others." Seiya sighed, causing Ser to laugh. "We better get down." As if by magic (An: well duh!) a stair way appeared and curved down to the floor and the entrance of the labyrinth.  
  
"Ready?" Serena asked, her blue eyes turning to Seiya's, filled with faith and trust.  
  
"Hai." He said softly, taking her hand in his once again, they started down the stairs and into the second test.  
  
**************************************************************************** ********  
  
Hotaru pursed her lips in annoyance; she'd lost for the sixth round in a row. Taiki had turned out to be an excellent card player and very good at poker faces. He raised his eyes to meet hers across the circle the three of them had made and grinned. She scowled back and lowered her eyes to her cards.  
  
Yaten smirked as Taru and Taiki's war of cards. He'd quite after last round and now was enjoying holding Ari and letting her tug at his hair and gurgle happily.  
  
He closed his eyes for a second and sighed, 'has it only been a few hours? It seems like days, or years, since we left earth. We haven't even moved into our home though, we've just been sitting here in some old ruins and waiting. I hate waiting.' He opened his jade eyes and scrunched his nose in annoyance.  
  
**************************************************************************** *******  
  
Mirth filled eyes watched the small group of travelers as they played and waited. Soon she would make her presence known, but for now she would let them suffer in each other's company and see if the commitment they were making to each other was well worth it. She knew it would be, for she knew that there was no extent to love. 


	19. Throwing a wrench in the space time cont...

Angel: Helllllllllllllllooooooooooo! Guess who's back! Me!  
  
Sage; I think they got that.  
  
Angel: Bishi!  
  
Sage: No! runs  
  
Angel: Anywho, it's been so long since I've updated and I figured it was about time to get cracking! cracks whip in the air  
  
Yaten: Where the hell did that come from?  
  
Angel: grin I finally got over my writers block so I'm now trying to prays get my stories done. Here's the next chp of Just One Night. I hope you enjoy it, cause I love writing it!  
  
Chapter 19: Throwing a wrench in the space time continuum  
  
How long had it been? Hotaru wondered to herself. The game of poker had ended long ago and Taiki was now sound asleep. Ari rested in her mother's arms, her soft coos of dream filled sleep were the only thing that broke the silence of space. And Yaten, he was looking off into the distance, his jade eyes were unfocused though, leading to an inner struggle it seemed.  
  
"It's funny, but I didn't realize how much I missed this." His quiet voice broke the serenity of the day.... night... whatever it was.  
  
"Missed what?" Hotaru asked him softly.  
  
"This." He gestured to the sky above them. "On earth you can only see the stars at night, but at home, I could see them during the day as well. The only difference between day and night there was that a moon would rise. I've missed the stars." He lay back, resting his head on his crossed arms and just looked.  
  
Hotaru watched him, knowing he didn't need her words to intrude on his thoughts anymore. He just needed time to think... then again, so did she. Her head lulled back and she turned her violet eyes to stare back at the earth. 'Home, it's only been a few hours and yet I'm an eternity away. But then... I left home longer then that, I was gone the second Yaten left me. I was lost when the Outers left. I wonder how they are? Ruka, Michi, Suna; I wonder what their doing right now? And the inners, how are they?'  
  
Stars were falling, was the first thing Hotaru thought when a silver light descended towards them. But it wasn't a star, she realized soon, and pulled herself out of lull she'd been in. Her eyes focused on Yaten and Taiki, the two were sound asleep. Turning back, she looked at the silver ball of light that was now hovering at eye level with her.  
  
"What in the world?" She asked softly.  
  
"I'm not from earth, if that's what you mean." A silvery voice answered.  
  
Hotaru jumped back, startling Ari to let out a soft cry. Yaten and Taiki sprang awake at that and hurried to defend the mother and child from the silver thing.  
  
"Do not fear, I mean you no harm." The voice said again. "I just mean to help."  
  
"Who or what are you?" Yaten demanded. He glared at the thing as it started to become transparent and soon took the form of a woman.  
  
"I am Queen Selenity of the Moon Kingdom." The woman said.  
  
"Selenity?" Hotaru squeaked, "But you died during the final battle."  
  
"No, no." Selenity scolded, "Just my body, my spirit remains here to make sure everything goes right. And I must say, fate has swung my plans farther off course then I'd realized."  
  
"Your plans?" Taiki asked.  
  
"You see," Selenity answered gesturing them to sit, which they did. "When I first sent Serena and her court to earth, I had planned for them to live normal lives, grow up, defeat the evil if it ever rose then go back to living normally. But there were greater evils then I knew, and they threw a wrench into my plans. I hadn't planned for the Outers to ever be needed, there powers were too much for Earth, I thought. But then they were needed, and I figured, okay, they can handle this and they did. Then there was Rini, and that whole fiasco, and then you all came and with Chaos no less. I hated to watch the girls suffer, so I sent Star and Rings to see everything else went well."  
  
"Star and Rings?" Hotaru gasped, "My cats?"  
  
"Yes." Selenity chuckled. "They were moon children once, and figured that they could spark some more normalcy in all your lives. They chose to interfere with yours and sent you on your way to Healer here."  
  
"Nani?" Yaten demanded. "You mean those cats were the ones that brought the two of us together?"  
  
"With my orders of course." Selenity answered in all honesty. "You'll have to forgive me though, I hate medalling in people's lives, but the court needed to be happy and be normal again. You and Hotaru seemed perfect, so I figured if I gave you a bit of a nudge towards one another everything would turn out fine. But then I forgot that you are pig headed, sir, so you threw me off again. And now look, here we are. You two may have found each other, but there is a galaxy of trouble out there now too."  
  
"What do you mean?" Hotaru asked, rocking Ari gently in her cradled arms.  
  
"I mean that there is now an imbalance. With the denial of each other in the first, you set Serena and Darien apart."  
  
"Well.... You see..." Hotaru began.  
  
"Oh don't." Selenity stopped her, "I'm sort of glad. I never did like that earth boy. But never the less, you change to future that was there, and now the time continuum is all whacked up."  
  
"How do we fix it?"  
  
"Ah... now that is the question isn't it?" Selenity smiled, "You must reconcile with the other scouts: the inners, outers, and those of your world Master Healer. The people there will be up in arms by now over this, and you must fix that. You could have handled the break up with Reece a bit more smoothly you know."  
  
"How the hell did you...."  
  
Hotaru shoved her hand over his mouth before Yaten could say anything more, "There are children you baka."  
  
"Mhnhn." He answered though her hand.  
  
"Come, I will show you too your new home." Selenity murmured.  
  
"What?'  
  
"Oh come now, you think we'd have an underground city with only one door? Of course not! I'm not stupid after all! Now come, we'll take the back door and meet Fighter and my daughter there."  
  
"Back door?" The all hissed.  
  
"Well, yes." She grinned, "Come along."  
  
Mina Aino stared at the college in front of her, 'could this really be the place?' Her blue eyes turned the admissions building and with a determined stride, she headed towards the double doors. "Hello." She said to the person at the front desk, "Can you tell me if a Yami and Hikari go here?"  
  
'New names too.' Mina smiled sadly, 'they really didn't want to be found. I wonder why?'  
  
"They did." The person said, "But they graduated a three weeks ago. Or at least that's what it says in my data. There was a place where they worked, you could try there."  
  
"Thanks." Mina said as the person wrote down the address. "Thanks a lot." 


	20. The Back Door

Chapter 20: The Back Door

The back door happened to be under the fountain that once stood in the middle of the moon lily garden. The fountain was still mostly there, but water no longer bubbled out and filled it. The door was only accessible by pushing down a stone dove on the top of the fountain, then a panel on the side would open and you could go through and it led right to the city, instead of going through all the secret doors.

The city was made of marble, stone, and crystal. It was wonderful! Like looking at a bunch of small castles made of clouds and shiny sky. "Wow." Hotaru whispered. "I've never seen anything like it."

"The crystal is the same texture as ebony, but the hardness of diamonds." Selenity said. She motioned to the huge building in the center of the city. "That's the building for the royal family. It is where you should all stay. It'll make a nice home."

"Thank you, Selenity." Hotaru smiled at the late queen. "But what about Seiya-kun and Serena-chan? Are they safe where they are?"

"Mostly, the traps weren't meant to harm anyone, just keep then from the city. The worst that could happen is they end up back on the surface of the moon."

Taiki frowned, "I suppose we ought to have someone stay on the lookout for them while the rest of us move stuff down to the main building." He surveyed the other two members of his group. 'Hotaru should probably stay and wait for the others with Ari, but then we really shouldn't leave them alone.' He thought.

Yaten's thoughts were about the same, but figured Hotaru and Ari would be safe enough. "Queen Selenity, ma'am, I would ask if you would stay with Hotaru and Ari until the others get back or we finish bringing things in."

"Of course I wouldn't mind, I think I'd actually like to speak with Lady Hotaru alone." She smiled at the ebony haired girl and led her and the others back out where the groups separated. Taiki and Yaten grabbed handfuls of stuff and headed back down while Selenity and Hotaru went to stand by the entrance and wait and see if Seiya and Serena would turn up.

"This is where they were last, Lady Reece?" a woman in knee high black boots, a black sailor skirt and a tight bra like top that was, like the other pieces of clothe, leather. She looked like a cross between Starlight and a dominatrix.

"You could try to bled a bit more." Reece muttered as she threw a glance at all FIVE of the woman standing with her on the roof across from the jewelry store where Yami and Hikari used to work.

"We are warriors _lady_ Reece." The woman hissed back.

"I know that Escher. You Miguel, Tama, Ashia, and Artic are here to help _me_ find my fiancé."

"He is no longer your fiancé Lady Reece, and we are here by order of the council, _not_ to help you but to help the council. Got that, _Lady_?" Artic turned and peered through the spyglasses and watch the store below. As she watched, a blonde woman walked out of the store and sigh. Her small frame sagged in defeat. "I think I might go down there."

"If you go, try to blend in!" Reece practically shouted.

"Hush up, you'll attract attention." Tama rolled her eyes.

"Here I go." Artic moved her hands and formed runes in the air. The runes shimmed her transformed her sailor suit into a white blouse and jeans. "How's that?"

"It works." Escher murmured and motioned to the street, "now go."

"Right."

"This maze is hard." Serena whined softly as she tugged Seiya through the twisting corridors. "How are we gonna get to the other side?"

"I don't know." Seiya replied, his blue eyes shifted from the two ways they could go. "But it seems that which ever way we go we always find a dead end or another two ways. I don't understand how we can get to the next door."

"Me neither." Serena sighed. "But we do have to find some way. We should have brought some yarn." She laughed softly.

"Yarn?" Seiya asked.

"You don't know the Greek Myths, I forgot."

"Stories?"

"Mm hm. You see; there was this Minator, which is a mythical creature sort of like a cross between a bull, and a human that guarded this big maze, or labyrinth. Many man tried to figure out the labyrinth, but only one could. Only one many made it through and he used yarn, or thread, or something like that to make his way through the maze by placing one end at the start and when he got to a dead end, he back tracked but he then knew which way he had been and which way he could go."

"I think I sort of get it." Seiya rolled his eyes and followed the blonde down the passageway.

"Dead end." Ser frowned, "Now what?"

"We go back." Seiya turned, but was met by a wall. They were surrounded on all four sides! "Um..."

"Shittama!" Serena shouted.

"I know, but you don't have to shout it." He turned, but Serena wasn't there. "Serena?" He asked, but he couldn't get anything else out as a hole opened below him and he fell through.

"Princess Hotaru, I am sorry about the pain you've been put through." Selenity said, "I just want everyone to be happy and live as they wanted."

"I was happy. But I am happier to have Yaten and Ari; their family. And it's not really your fault."

"Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if the Silver Millennium hadn't fallen. Would you all have been happier, or are you better off now?"

"It doesn't really matter." Hotaru sighed, as she slid herself to the ground and looked out over the moonscape. "I think that no matter what, we'll all find happiness. The Gods made it so things always fix themselves, thus is how fate works."

"You are a smart one, Hotaru, but you should not try to go beyond your years, else you might find yourself in the future before you're ready to be there." Selenity smiled softly, "Just know when to use your wisdom and when to use your common sense."

Hotaru was silent as she looked off into the distance, the baby in her arms cooing softly at the silver queen. "Why did the kingdom fall?"

"Now that is a story that is not for here or for now." Selenity answered, "But should be heard, when the teller of the tale is ready to tell it."

"You're not ready?" Hotaru asked.

"No. But I'm not the one to tell you this story. You must find out who would tell you the truth for yourself."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"You will, one day."


End file.
